Teaching White House History to Future Leaders
Press Release
September 27, 2018 (Washington, D.C.) – The White House Historical Association today released the latest episode of The 1600 Sessions podcast, “Education Through Partnerships,” exploring unique strategies for sharing rich historical content and untold stories of White House history with audiences of all ages across the country.
In this inspiring conversation, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin speaks with Janet Tran, Associate Director of Education at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute; Monica Logothetis, co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit DreamWakers; and Julie Teer, Chief Development and Public Affairs Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Together, they discuss collaboration with the White House Historical Association to bring educational resources to students in classrooms and Clubs throughout the country.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute sends students to the White House Historical Association and historic Decatur House to meet with leaders who share their stories and journeys. Tran explains how this impacts the students of her leadership program: “I think that’s what’s so important about the partnership, when we bring students to this incredible space – when they hear from real leaders, look at real history, and learn from the real world.”
While it is a unique experience to visit Washington, there are many under-resourced classrooms throughout the country that are not able to meet with leaders face-to-face. DreamWakers, a nonprofit that uses free video conference services to bring real-world leaders into those classrooms, has partnered with the Association on the series, “White House Wednesdays.” As Logothetis explains: “We feature a professional who either currently or formerly worked in the White House and connect them with civics social studies and history classrooms across the country so that they can really share with students what it’s like working on the front lines of presidential politics.”
Teer explains how Boys & Girls Clubs across America benefit from learning about the presidency: “From President Hoover forward, whoever is in office serves as honorary chair and the first lady is co-chair of our organization. And so, for many of our young leaders, part of their civic engagement and citizenship work really does revolve around understanding the democratic process, the role elected officials play in spending time here in Washington D.C.”
The innovative partnerships and collaborations between these organizations have bolstered efforts to reach more students across the country and connect them directly with Washington to educate and engage them in the civic process.
The 1600 Sessions
In this podcast series, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews luminaries, historians, and eyewitnesses to history about America’s most famous residence and office—the White House. Each episode includes a prominent guest or guests to discuss varying facets of White House history, including insights from former staff and many other topical issues.
The 1600 Sessions is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. To hear the full episode, visit The1600Sessions.org.
About The White House Historical Association
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy envisioned a restored White House that conveyed a sense of history through its decorative and fine arts. In 1961, the White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion’s legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association’s mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the White House Historical Association has contributed more than $47 million in fulfillment of its mission. To learn more about the White House Historical Association, please visit www.whitehousehistory.org.
Media Contacts
Ashley Keyes
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
404-487-5466
akeyes@BGCA.org
