CULTIVATING the FUTURE Teaching Farming and Foodways to the Next Generation
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effectIMPACTING THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH THE POWER OF GIVING VOLUME 12 / 2019 CULTIVATING THE FUTURE Teaching farming and foodways to the next generation PAGE 6 A Letter from The Henry Ford’s President and CEO Looking forward as we approach our Campaign in Action centennial Investments in The Henry Ford’s Innovation Project are funding accessible and inclusive learning through digital tools, experiential programs and exhibitions Dear Friends, as well as innovation, invention and entrepreneurial education. Our 90th anniversary has been a milestone year in many ways. Thanks to your support, we will have marked this historic anniversary not just by Contents celebrating what we have built together but by looking forward to all that we will do to offer every child the opportunity to reach their greatest Stories of potential as we approach our centennial. Impact Thanks to your generous giving, our Accessibility 4 comprehensive campaign, The Innovation Project, has raised over $98 million toward our Learning & $150 million goal, and the work made possible Engagement 5 by this campaign is starting to be activated Entrepreneurship 6 around the campus. As part of our goal to make our stories of Ways to Give 8 inspiration accessible to all, we are proud to have joined the Detroit Public Schools Community Volunteer Stories 10 District’s STEAM Cultural Passport program, Operating Budget 11 offering all of the district’s fourth- and-fifth- graders free field trips to The Henry Ford. Opening our doors to the community 2018 Honor Roll 12 in this way is essential to reaching our future innovators and entrepreneurs. Invention Convention U.S. Nationals once again transformed Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation into a hub for young inventors, with nearly 500 ON THE COVER students presenting their creative solutions to everyday problems over three days Melvin Parson (in gray hat), at the museum. With over 120,000 students worldwide participating in Invention The Henry Ford’s first Convention events across the globe, this program truly captures the mission upon Entrepreneur in Residence, which we were founded. gives children from the Detroit chapter of Jack This year, we celebrated two major anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of Maker We are already and Jill of America, an Faire Detroit and the 30th anniversary of our Youth Mentorship Program. Old Car making an impact. organization that promotes Festival, America’s longest-running antique car show, and our summer exhibit We’ve made several improvements to elevate the physical experience and leadership development in in The Gallery by General Motors, Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds, both achieved African-American youth, storytelling elements on the floor at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, the highest attendance in recent years. Our television shows, The Henry Ford’s the opportunity to get their Innovation Nation and Did I Mention Invention?, are now reaching over 81 million including adding engaging new digital columns (top) in the museum plaza and near hands dirty at his Ypsilanti viewers annually. We continue to make progress digitizing our collection, with over the agriculture exhibit. Also, The Henry Ford’s mobile app, THF Connect, is now farm. The field trip was an 86,000 artifacts now available online to learners around the globe. available for download for both iOS and Android at thf.org/connectapp. exercise to help the group better understand where We’re set to open Driven to Win: Racing in America, our new permanent museum Thank you for joining us as we work to unlock the potential of the next generation good food comes from and of innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs. With your continued support, we will exhibit presented by our Partner in Innovation, General Motors (bottom). Thanks to an see themselves as their build on our legacy of presenting America’s stories and experiences, and make the early leadership gift to The Innovation Project, the exhibit will debut in spring 2020 neighborhoods’ future farmers. next 10 years our most momentous yet. to guide visitors through the worlds of those who invented their way into the winner’s PHOTO BY CODY RYAN MARTELL circle ... and often changed the world in the process. Sincerely, We’ve invited two successful entrepreneurs, Melvin Parson of We the People Growers Association (see Page 6) and Richard Sheridan of Ann Arbor-based For details on specific programs and initiatives comprising Menlo Innovations, to complete residencies at The Henry Ford as part of the The Innovation Project, visit theinnovationproject.org. PATRICIA E. MOORADIAN Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program. PHOTO BY ROY RITCHIE DIGITAL COLUMNS PHOTO BY BLUECADET 2 THE HENRY FORD EFFECT: VOLUME 12 thf.org 3 Stories of Impact: Stories of Impact: Accessibility Learning & Engagement With your support, The Innovation Project is giving the next With your support, The Innovation Project is providing tomorrow’s generation of learners, entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators leaders with unprecedented experiential learning frameworks and uncompromising accessibility to The Henry Ford resources from The Henry Ford Educational equity. No barriers. The Henry Ford The 2019 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, who are going to solve the problems we will DID YOU KNOW? / is making good on its Innovation Project promise held in Henry Ford Museum of American face tomorrow,” said Patricia E. Mooradian, The Henry Ford, along with Invention to provide more accessible environments Innovation, featured nearly 500 young president and CEO of The Henry Ford. “We are Convention U.S. Nationals on campus and give broader audiences the inventors, some from as far away as Singapore happy to be on this journey together to ensure sponsor and invention opportunity to experience all it has to offer. and Shanghai. From solar-powered rocket invention education is a global movement education partner The Lemelson Foundation, Fourth- and fifth-graders attending Detroit systems and insulin plungers to a smart and that we play our part in creating the next hosts the annual Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) handicapped parking sign and biodegradable generation workforce.” Invention Convention now know this firsthand. Late last year, The plastic, K-12 students presented their ideations Invention Convention U.S. Nationals is a Worldwide Fall Affiliate Henry Ford became a part of the 2018-2019 alongside some of the most iconic inventions cornerstone collaboration in UTC’s decades- Summit. Held at Henry DPSCD STEAM Cultural Passport program, in American history. Ford Museum of American old investment in STEM-based invention Innovation, the summit In total, the convention was a shining which gives students (K-5) the opportunity education. “As a company based on invention, brings together youth achievement under the auspices of The to experience local cultural/educational UTC is proud to be one of the founding sponsors invention, innovation Innovation Project’s mission to advance and entrepreneurship opportunities and refine their observational, of the Connecticut Invention Convention, which problem-solving and analytical skills. As innovation, invention and entrepreneurship. affiliate and partner was the beginning of what is now the Invention program organizers to an approved passport partner, The Henry And it is one The Henry Ford will continue to Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford,” share best practices Ford provided complimentary field trips to grow in scope and impact, thanks in large part in an effort to further said Mary Lombardo of UTC. “Being there from Greenfield Village to all of the district’s fourth- to the support of donors and partnerships formalize invention the start, it is very encouraging to see the graders and trips to Henry Ford Museum of with companies such as United Technologies and entrepreneurship Corporation (UTC), the convention’s returning significant strides The Henry Ford is making to education for K-12 American Innovation to all fifth-graders. students throughout presenting sponsor in 2019. grow the program. The discipline, capacity and “We believe the goal of the Cultural Passport DID YOU KNOW? / the United States. “Partners like United Technologies understand expertise now dedicated to invention education program to engage students in real-world, The Henry Ford joined and increasing the global reach of Invention hands-on learning strongly aligns with the several other local how this kind of competition can inspire the mission of The Henry Ford,” said Patricia E. educational and cultural next generation of doers, makers and creators Convention gives us great confidence, and we institutions as a Cultural as well as future entrepreneurs — the people are proud to play a critical role in that work.” Mooradian, president and CEO of The Henry Passport partner to Ford. “By providing access to our unparalleled the DPSCD in 2018-19, “Invention including the Ann Arbor Archive of American Innovation to DPSCD Convention is students, we can help inspire them.” Hands-On Museum, the Detroit Zoo, the Michigan a place where Through the field trips, students explored Science Center, Cranbrook we celebrate the themes of design and energy, social Art Museum and Charles power of unique transformation and math, among others. H. Wright Museum of The Henry Ford also worked with DPSCD African American History. experiences and educators to co-create and implement points of view. Where we can customized field trip curricula that were According to Lucie Howell, chief learning the most