This is just, AMAZING.
Heritage Sandy Springs Museum in Georgia has had an American Girl club for the past two years, and even though they've let boys, the participants have been exclusively girls.
That might change this year, with the new name: American Girl and Boy Club.
Keith Moore, the director of historic resources and education programs at Heritage Sandy Springs, said this about the new direction of the club that meets every month for 2018: “By renaming the program, we hope to reach more children who want to learn about history in a fun, interactive way. We are also concentrating our efforts to combine STEM-related activities within our historical programming to help round out the educational experience for all participants.”
I think this is super cool and more American Girl clubs should allow boys- as well as older girls! (I help out at American Girl summer camp during the summer, but I'm lucky that my acting school doesn't judge and lets me help!)
Here is the schedule for the American Girl and Boy club for 2018. All events are from 10 am to 11:30 am.
January 27: Learn about the history of country music and tour Nashville with Tenney and Logan.
Feb. 24: Addy Celebrates Black History Month. Addy grew up in the South after the Civil War and is a very brave, loving, thoughtful and kind child who often risks her safety for the safety of others. Celebrate Black History Month with the help of Addy as participants learn about the Underground Railroad and the road to freedom.
March 24: Nellie’s Irish Luck. Nellie O’Malley, Samantha’s best friend, is an Irish immigrant who works for Samantha’s neighbors. She personifies the working-class immigrant experience of the time and teaches Samantha about the conditions faced by children who are part of the workforce. Come join Nellie as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and learn about Irish Immigrants in America.
April 28: GOTY Release Party. Come meet 2018’s new Girl of the Year.
May 26: Caroline Sails into Summer. Considered adventurous, tomboyish, brave, heroic and independent, Caroline was born in log cabin near the Great Lakes. She has lived in Sacketts Harbor her whole life, and her family runs a shipyard near the shores of Lake Ontario. Come sail with Caroline as participants learn about ships, sailing and log cabins.
June 23: Z Yang’s Cool Camera Club. Meet Suzanne Yang, or Z for short, a hard-working Korean-American from Seattle. Z is most passionate about film and hopes to be a director one day. Come join her camera club as attendees learn about the history of film and create our own film devices.
July 28: Felicity: An American Girl Adventure. Ten-year-old Felicity is growing up in Williamsburg, Virginia, just before the American Revolution. High-spirited and independent, she decides to tame the wild horse owned by the leather maker even though her parents forbid it. Come watch Felicity: An American Girl Adventure while participants learn about the Revolutionary War.
August 25: Engineering Innovations with Ivy. Tour the history of San Francisco as resident Ivy Ling shows us around. We’ll learn about engineering marvels like the Golden Gate Bridge, and how Ivy’s ancestors helped lay the foundations of America through their work with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Sept. 29: Melody Showcases Motown Music. Melody is a spunky 9-year-old growing up in 1960s Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement. Melody enjoys singing and gardening, and wants to share the history of the civil rights through the power of Motown. The event will highlight one of the most important movements in history through the power of music.
Oct. 27: A French-Quarter Halloween with Marie-Grace. Marie-Grace Gardner lives in New Orleans in the 1850s. Come celebrate Halloween, New Orleans style, as we explore her favorite things; music, singing and the French-Quarter Voodoo Parade.
Nov. 17: Hawaiian Holiday with Nanea. Come meet Nanea, native to Hawaii, as she shows us how the state celebrates the holidays. Attendees will learn about Pearl Harbor, World War II and some of Nanea’s favorite traditions around the holidays.