Photo by Libni Hernandez
A group of HRM Junior Docents traveled to Massachusetts in late July on an exciting field trip that included visits to UMass Amherst, Amherst College, the Eric Carle Museum, and Mass MoCA. The trip was the grand finale of a series of new initiatives the Junior Docents took part in during the 2025–26 academic year, which included a collaboration with Manhattanville University to create an anthology, Home by the Hudson, and the production of their very own podcast, HRM Teen Talks.
The field trip to Massachusetts was designed to expand on the Junior Docents’ exploration of storytelling as a powerful vehicle for identity formation and self-expression, inspired by Fairfield Porter’s evocative painting October Interior, on view in Everything Has a Story: Reflections on the Collection. It also underscored the vital role of museums as community gathering places and conveners of diverse thought, where all perspectives and forms of art are valued and where young people are encouraged to connect, create, and contribute to a shared cultural dialogue.
On the first day, the Junior Docents visited the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, where they learned about the inspiration behind many of their favorite childhood books and participated in “Everyday Art Project: Sketching Stories” in the Art Studio. On the second day, the Junior Docents headed to Mass MoCA, where they were given a tour by the Public Programs Coordinator, Erick Ramos-Jacobo, and explored the museum on their own. On the final day, they went on campus tours of UMass Amherst and Amherst College, which helped them understand the varying options available to them for college.
Thematically, this trip extended the metaphor of “home” that had been a throughline of this year’s programming. For many students, stepping away from the physical and emotional comfort of home for the first time can be daunting. Yet through this shared experience and creative reflection, they discovered that “home” is not just a place—it’s a narrative they carry with them. By entering new environments, building bonds with peers, and expressing their identities through storytelling and art, the Junior Docents learned that they are at home wherever they feel empowered to share their voice.
Support provided by Art Bridges Foundation.
Lead individual support for the Junior Docent Program is provided by Anita K. Hersh Philanthropic Fund.
The Junior Docent Program is generously sponsored, in part, by New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader; Westchester County Youth Bureau; Lorraine O’Brien Foundation, Inc.; Speyer Family Foundation; Crosswicks Foundation, LTD.; County of Westchester; City of Yonkers, Department of Planning and Development, through a Community Development Block Grant; St. Faith’s House Foundation; MGM Resorts Foundation; NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester; and St. Barnabas Church.
Additional support is provided by Brian Dore, Marion Greenup, Samantha Merton and Brett Humphreys, Christina O’Neill, Henry Schacht, Richard W. Deely, and the Underwood Family.