Six Powell High School students concluded their work at Heart Mountain Wednesday as part of the Democracy in Dialogue program by the Smithsonian Institution.
Each Wednesday since October 1, students Aubrey Bear (junior), Riley Douglas (junior), Mackenzie Legler (junior), Bryson Weddell (senior), Kaden Wolff (junior), and Sawyer Wormald (junior) explored their community and learned how it fits into the story of America.
“To celebrate the United States’ Semiquincentennial in 2026, the Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program has enabled students to learn how the community has changed over time and how the people preserving history are the ones who shape the story being told,” said Sybil Kawano, Heart Mountain’s museum educator.
“At the Mineta-Simpson Institute, we want our programs to encourage open dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Students were able to do this through the virtual exchange with students at the Boulder (Colo.) Museum of Contemporary Art. Together, they explored the similarities and differences of their communities and how our community shapes not only who we are but how we look at others.”
The students created a collage featuring different images of Heart Mountain. The collage will hang in the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center and will be featured in an upcoming edition of Kokoro Kara, the Foundation’s magazine.
Photo: Sybil Kawano, Heart Mountain museum educator, stands with Kaden Wolff and Riley Douglas with the collage made by participants in the Smithsonian Democracy in Dialogue program.