‘hbw: jr professional’
courtesy of ‘greenkozi’

Every couple weeks I head out to another DC neighborhood and write up a profile for the Where We Live feature, but here’s an even cooler way to learn about neighborhoods: the National Building Museum sponsors a summer outreach program for DC kids in which participants get to document DC neighborhoods through photographs and creative writing.  Investigating Where We Live is an annual program for children ages 12 to 16, where the kids get some training in photography and then set out in teams to document different neighborhoods.  Their work is then put on display at the National Building Museum.

The kids from this summer’s IWWL focused on three DC neighborhoods: Columbia Heights, Shaw, and U Street.  Head over to the National Building Museum to see their takes on these neighborhoods before January.  And check out the IWWL student blog to hear from the kids firsthand– these are some very talented young people, and I can’t wait to check out their work.  

The National Building Museum is always looking for volunteers to staff programs like these, so if you’re a professional with experience in photography, urban planning, architecture, or creative writing, consider helping out with next year’s IWWL program.  There are a number of outreach programs at the National Building Museum that focus on connecting professionals in the city with teens and young adults, so if you’ve got some time and want to influence a young person’s life, here’s how to volunteer.

Shannon grew up in the greater DC area/Maryland suburbs, went to Virginia for college and grad school (go Hoos!), and settled in DC in 2006. She’s an urban planner who loves transit (why yes, that is her dressed as a Metro pylon for Halloween), cities, and all things DC. Email her at Shannon (at) WeLoveDC.com!