"Make Your Own Video" Wednesdays

Wednesday's youth program is the Make Your Own Video program. We have developed a dedicated Tumblr blog to showcase the work.


The program provides access to software and applications so students can explore the creative possibilities of video art. Kids interact intimately with the software and application media, cultivating an understanding of the technology and the science behind it.

You can see the work here: http://ivdmvideo.tumblr.com

IMLS Learning Labs Grant

by Jessica A. Brody


Tomorrow I'm submitting an application to the Institute of Museums and Libraries Services to their Learning Lab grant. This is the second round the Museum is applying for, Last year the reviewers were apprehensive about our program sustainability. This year we are hoping that the success of the Ceramic Art Program will assuage their concerns. More about the grant from their website:

Grants for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums will support planning and design activities for spaces that foster experimentation and creativity for middle- and high-school youth in library- and museum-based, out-of-school-time settings. The labs should be grounded in evidence-based research on youth, and should be designed to support youth learning in such 21st century skills as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

So today, while the other Colorado Desert Archaeology Society curation volunteers where hard at work, Jaime gave up her day of artifact curation (something she doesn't get to do often) to talk over the grant (something she often does for work). Her comments were extremely productive and I can't thank her enough for her assistance. In talking over some State Park programs and objectives, we were able to tailor the grant so that the Learning Lab (should our proposal be accepted) will reach an even broader audience.

Two heads are better than one, and it's this type of discussion and interaction that helps make the Museum programs even more effective than we could dream up on our own.

Stern Foundation Grant

We have received a grant from the Sidney Stern Memorial Trust of California for an artist in residence. This is one of the applications we submitted as a result of the Grants Workshop late last year. The grant will fund an interactive exploration of what is Desert Sized Art. 

Our artist in residence, Martin Hitch, will lead research on that topic and post images of Desert Sized Art as part of an interactive exhibit at the museum. As people comment and vote on images they think embodies Desert Sized Art, we will explore those avenues and create a community vision of Desert Sized Art. 

Summer Youth Programs

This week is the first week of our Summer Youth Programs. We had three youth come this morning to work with the coiled clay program. One of the kids came yesterday and came back today to finish what she was working on. Last week one of the high school students from Southwest came to make a ceramic pot.

 We have pots and pots and pots sitting around. We need a kiln.

2012 Youth Summer Programming

On June fifth the Imperial Valley Desert Museum will begin its summer youth programing, continuing through the end of August. See the schedule below or our calendar of events:

Ceramic Art Youth Program

Tuesday and Friday: Students will be working hands-on to build coiled clay pottery similar to the Kumeyaay pottery collection that is housed at the museum.

Make Your Own Video: Video Editing and Production

Wednesday: Students will have access to video cameras and video editing software in order to shoot and edit footage of the desert community. The Program is designed to tutor students in technology and 21st century job skills. 

County Free Library's Reading Program

Certain Dates on Wednesday: The library hours are open to adults, teens, and children. Youth will be encouraged to partake in the Library’s challenge to read five books over the course of the summer. Although the Library will only be here running the program on Wednesdays, the museum is encouraging students to come out any day of the week and take advantage of the facilities. 

Karate Training

Thursday and Saturday: Funded by a grant from the D.O.V.E.S. Organization. The Program is free, and there is no limit to the number of students that may attend. The first eight attendees will receive a free gi. The program is designed to promote a healthy, active life style. Although the students will be learning the fundamentals of karate, there will be no contact or fighting.

Curation Month Update

As one volunteer remarked, "This is truely a hands on process!"
Photo curtesy Sam Webb. 

May was curation month with the Museum's main focus on engaging volunteers and the community with the curation process. We started a very successful partnership with the Colorado Desert Archaeology Society this month and we've had two very devoted weekly volunteers. Our volunteer artifact curation skyrocketed from 230 artifacts to 1,366. Getting the collections into museum quality storage is the number one priority of the museum and the volunteers efforts to support this cause cannot be understated.

The curation process continues through the summer during our public hours Thursday - Saturday from 10am - 3pm.