Explore the student work featured in the Spotlight section of Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital. This rotating display is co-curated with members of the community, highlighting stories and individuals from schools across the District.
Throughout fall 2025, Deal Middle School students visited the DC History Center during an afterschool program. They explored historical issues of inequality in the District and the individuals and organizations that have done something about them. The students, led by educator Amy Trenkle, shared what they learned about their community’s history with other middle school students in Springdale, Arkansas and Stone Ridge, New York.
For their final project, students worked with local printmaker Alex Huttinger of Social Justice Printmaking Workshop to design, carve, and ink their own linoleum prints. Their artwork reflects the ongoing fight for political representation for all Washingtonians and highlights DC’s Latino and LGBTQ+ communities.
See below for the students’ final prints.
Emily Burnett, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“My sketch is promoting LGBTQ+ rights and affirmation. Everybody deserves to be recognized.”
Naomi Cannon, Grade 6 Still Not Free, 2025 Linocut Print
Sasha Habyarimana, Grade 8 A Ballad of Silence, 2025 Linocut Print
“This print is the reflection of the silence words of the many marginalized communities we explored in DC and my print is suggesting that we aren’t really free from the chains that our generations have fought against throughout DC History.”
Sadie Rosenthal, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“I decided to do this print because I believe that equality and fairness is coming and we all need to keep hope and love everyone always. I was inspired to do this by the prints at the DC History Center (in the Rainbow History project collection) and I wanted to display hope and equality in my print.”
Magdalena Glenn, Grade 8 Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are, 2025 Linocut Print
“This print is a reference to Harvey Milk’s 1977 campaign, using his slogan, ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are.’ Though he was sadly assassinated in 1978, he had a lasting impact on the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. During his mayoral term, he helped to abolish anti-gay initiatives, such as the Briggs Initiative. Harvey Milk is now remembered as one of the first openly gay politicians. I was reminded of his story after learning about the Rainbow History Project at the DC History Center.”
Liv Werman, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“This print is to show that all types of love, hence the word and the pride flag, is welcome in DC. I wanted to do this image because the Pride Festival has been an event that has recurred in DC and I want to this to print to help people show the festival is welcome here. I also see this in my own life with my school/my community.”
Maria Schofield, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“I thought of a protest and gay love so I showed the two men up front holding hands, when I was making sketches for the Rainbow History Project. This print is an image of a protest.”
Ava Silson, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“This print is based on the Rainbow History Project which I learned about in DiDVE. It shows that even though some people are homophobic and can’t open their minds, we’re always here and always ha been human.”
Henrik Fiet, Grade 8 King’s Death Caused a Fire to Twist the Nation, 2025 Linocut Print
“The print is an image of the streets that were destroyed in the 1968 Riots and inspired by the corresponding collection. I chose this collection because out of the collections it is the one that caused the greatest amount of destruction nationwide. I want people to remember everything that was destroyed and everyone that was killed in the fires.”
Ava Weinstein, Grade 7 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“I drew this image because I was inspired by the Rainbow History Project collection at the DC History Center. I wanted to show that everyone is equal and together no matter who they are and what their background is. I drew a hand that represents how everyone is together and she be treated equally.”
Jake Rich, Grade 7 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“At the DC History Center I learned about ECTC (The Emergency Committee on the Transportation Crisis). The main slogan for the group opposing the freeway was ‘White Man’s Road Thru a Black Man’s Home.’ Did you know the freeway would have gone through mostly Black communities? The campaign to stop the freeway was successful.”
Ryleigh Jones, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“I made the Free Flower to represent well-being and I was inspired by the Growing Back Painting in [the Class Action exhibit] at the DC History Center.”
Katherine Glenn, Grade 6 Untitled, 2025 Linocut Print
“We learned about the Rainbow History Project. I used the sun, also, the hands to represent everyone … just like who this project is for.”
Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange (DiDVE) is a Smithsonian Institution-led program that brings together teachers and students from across the country to share experiences and connections through place, objects, and communities. At Deal Middle School, the students meet after school as part of a club. For more on the fall 2025 group’s experience throughout the project, visit their newsletter page!