What do the objects we keep say about us?
The items we keep tie us to our pasts, link our pasts to our present, and represent aspirations of our futures. Our personal treasures explain who we were, who we are, and who we hope to become. Whether we’ve had it for a year or carried it through generations, the things we surround ourselves with help us learn and grow.
You can learn from anything.
This exhibit is part of a collection of items that represent educational experience. Students in the “Introduction to Public History” course reached out to those around them to collect items related to education.
We gain wisdom and intelligence both in and out of the classroom, and we often learn our biggest lessons in the least likely places and from the most unexpected people.
These medals belong to an accomplished color guard director who works at an underserved high school in Indiana. Instead of proudly displaying the medals, the director keeps her focus on the students who earned them, preferring to keep the medals tucked away in her desk drawer.
She is not just a teacher; she is the student. She learns as many lessons from the young performers as she imparts.
The medals are not a crowning achievement. They are memories, physical manifestations of the students’ impact and achievements regardless of magnitude. They are meaningful because of the value imbued in them, teaching lessons well beyond their original moment. They are Artifacts of Experience.
Throughout this exhibit, you will encounter the objects that link us to our legacies, expand our worldviews, impart unconventional wisdom, and help us transition and grow into new phases of our lives.
What have you kept?
This exhibit was originally installed in the lockers of Arts & Sciences Hall at the University of Cincinnati. We encourage you to thematically explore all the artifacts that comprise our collection based on the following:
Feel free to leave us a message about the exhibit, or share the item that best defines your own educational experience!
