LEWISTON — More students than before are taking part in Museum L-A’s Kids as Curators program and they continue to display a passion and excitement for their projects being installed in a real museum gallery. For the third time in 2019, as part of Museum L-A’s Kids as Curators program, the museum will install a new exhibit of student projects, this time with students from Auburn Middle School. Returning for her fourth exhibition project as part of this educational program, Diana Carson of AMS has led her students to create works of art as part of an exhibit titled “Auburn Students: Problem Solvers of Tomorrow.” The public is invited to attend the free opening reception for the exhibit on the third floor of the Bates Mill from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at 35 Canal St.

Inspired by Robert Shetterly from “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” 90 seventh-graders at AMS were asked to study problems that they identify in their lives, their communities and the larger world. They began researching difficult topics such as suicide, global warming and homelessness, and the ways that people are working to solve these problems. The students then created a podcast and a work of art that represents the topics they researched and these artworks will be on display in Museum L-A’s exhibit space.

Auburn Middle School students who participated in the Kids at Curator program at Museum L-A are shown with their artwork and include, from left, Ansley Watson, Brady Kilby, Derek Becvar, Amber Fraser and Alexus Newton.

“Often when we think of teenagers, we think of them as just staring into a screen and consuming mindless content. This picture, however, doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Carson. “Teens in Auburn worry about how their world is going to be different because of climate change; they care about helping animals and people struggling with abuse; they are alarmed at how many kids their age have gotten involved with vaping; and they can see the effect that vandalism and gun violence has on communities. Our teenagers are ready to take on the problems that they will inherit from us.”

“Problem Solvers of Tomorrow” is part of the programming created by Museum L-A for the city’s 150th anniversary. As the younger generation of Auburn citizens, these students can shape the future of the city. “By allowing Auburn students to share their voices and their artwork with the public, the museum hopes that this project will inspire these students to continue to make positive changes to their local community not just this year, but for many years to come,” said Emma Sieh, exhibit coordinator.

Museum L-A’s hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Special tour requests and large group tours outside of these hours are available by appointment.

For more information, contact info@museumla.org or call 207-333-3881.