WHAT:        "Creating American Stories"—creative writing presentations by
                  Washington, D.C., students

WHEN:        Monday, May 12; 6:30 – 8 p.m.

WHERE:      Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard
                 Smithsonian American Art Museum
                 Eighth and F Streets N.W.

WHO:         Eighth-grade students, Stuart-Hobson Middle School (N.E.)
                 Eighth-grade students, Alice Deal Junior High School (N.W.)
                 11th-grade students, Alexander Graham Bell 
                 Multicultural Senior High School (N.W.)
                 Elizabeth Broun, director, Smithsonian American Art Museum

For the fourth consecutive year, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is hosting local Washington, D.C., students, teachers and parents at a program celebrating the publication of "Creating American Stories," an annual compilation of students’ written interpretations of selected museum artwork. The program, held in the museum’s new Kogod Courtyard, will be introduced by museum director Broun and feature 18 illustrated readings by student authors. Students will receive a copy of his or her school’s printed compilation as a keepsake and have the opportunity to guide their parents through the museum galleries to share the artwork that inspired them.

Monday’s program is the culmination of an annual collaboration between the museum and local schools, funded by the William Randolph Hearst Endowment for America’s Artistic Heritage. Each year the outreach introduces more than 200 students to classic pieces of American art in a museum setting and encourages creativity through analysis of the artwork, as well as integration of art themes into classroom lessons.

This program is open to participating school teachers, students and their families only.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is located at Eighth and F streets N.W., above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except Dec. 25. Admission is free. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000 or TTY (202) 633-5285. Museum information: (202) 633-7970. Web site: americanart.si.edu.

SI-233-2008