The National Mall is one Metro ride away from the classrooms of WCHS, yet students rarely find reason to make the trip. The Museum Scholars Club is working to change that with their monthly museum trips, whose visits focus on community building and seeing all that D.C. and the surrounding area has to offer. Every Friday in room 253, the club meets to plan fundraisers and museum trips that put a spotlight on the history and culture of the D.C. area. For WCHS sophomore and co-president Brooks Goldstein, Museum Scholars is about bringing students together and providing a safe space away from the stress of school.
“Our goal is to foster a sense of community around shared landmarks,” Goldstein said. “The club offers an opportunity to create relationships in and out of school, which is increasingly crucial in our school environment which often places academics above connection.”
While the Museum Scholars Club is still fairly new, being founded at the start of this school year, it has already made some significant accomplishments. The group has raised money for Montgomery County museums and has visited multiple Smithsonian exhibits. The club’s active involvement in the community has created a meaningful environment for members who look for a more engaging experience than what a typical school club has to offer.
“A lot of the clubs at WCHS feel superficial, but at Museum Scholars, I’ve seen how a shared interest brings people together,” WCHS sophomore Aj Radice said. “The club has opened opportunities to meet people that I otherwise wouldn’t have. As a Maryland native, it was nice to visit D.C. and the museums which I normally hadn’t done before.”
The recent visit to the National Air and Space Museum marked a major milestone for the club. While many new clubs can struggle to find active members, the trip drew in over 25 students, highlighting a real demand for the visits. The turnout exceeded even what Goldstein had hoped for, showing that students are interested in what the club has to offer and wanted an opportunity to explore new places with their classmates.
“Seeing more than 25 people all come together to enjoy our amazing museums as part of a club community really made me feel like the club was creating great memories,” Goldstein said. “I am proud that I have been able to share the beauty of our area that often goes unnoticed.”
As the school year comes to an end, the Museum Scholars Club is looking forward to the fall to expand its horizons. The club leaders hope to partner with more local museums, organize more frequent trips and get more students involved. With growing membership and enthusiasm from participants, the Museum Scholars Club hopes to become a lasting part of the WCHS community.
“I definitely would recommend the club to anyone interested in museums or just having a fun weekend,” Radice said. “It really changed how I see where we live. I would always just drive past these buildings every day, but now they feel like places where we actually belong and have true meaning.”
