As with anything new, doing something for the first time can shake up a lot of emotions. My name is Eleanor Miller, and in addition to just beginning the Folk Studies Graduate Program at WKU, I’ve also stepped into my position as the Graduate Assistant to the Education Department here at the Kentucky Museum. A major component of my assistantship is leading small school group tours through exhibits at the museum.
Last Friday, I got my first chance to lead a tour, and let me tell you, I was nervous about it! Alongside the Kentucky Folklife Program, we hosted Parker Bennett Curry Elementary for a Bosnian culture based field trip. The group of about 50 students toured our two newest exhibits, “A Culture Carried: Bosnians in Bowling Green” and “New Kentuckians.”
As the tour guide for “A Culture Carried,” I was responsible for leading two groups of 4th graders through the exhibit. Despite my initial fears and uncertainties, the tours went very well! The students were interested in what the exhibit was all about, and participated by asking a lot of great questions.
After the tours, the students listened to some live music by Sasha Strunjas and Armin Hasanagic, and got a traditional Bosnian dance lesson from Dzenana Kadric. By the end, all of the students were up on their feet, dancing and having a great time!
It was exciting to be able to just jump in and go for it! I realized how comfortable I was leading this awesome group of kids through our new exhibit, and it felt good to be able to talk to these students about an important part of our community here in Bowling Green.
Now that the nerves have worn off, I can honestly say that I’m looking forward to leading my next tour here at the Kentucky Museum!
– Eleanor