Hip Hop Time Capsule Evolves, Painting a New Future for the Washington College Innovation Plant
A vibrant mural and a youth-driven vision for 800 High Street emerge as the latest iteration of the unique program for high-schoolers fosters art, skills, and community engagement.
A vibrant new mural now graces the outside of the Innovation Plant at 800 High Street, drawing attention to something even more transformative unfolding inside and around it: the growth of an inclusive, youth-driven vision for the site’s future. Created by 50 paid high school and college student interns participating in this year’s Hip Hop Time Capsule, the mural is the most visible outcome of a two-week summer program that offered more than just art—it fostered collaboration, workforce skills, and civic leadership. With support from the Innovation Plant, the program became a proving ground for how the space can engage future users in shaping its direction, long before its official launch.
Born from the expansive digital archive of the Chesapeake Heartland Project at the Washington College Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, Hip Hop Time Capsule first blossomed in the summer of 2021. It was then that Kent County teenagers and Washington College students forged connections with musicians, college professors, and museum professionals, all united by a singular mission: to research, document, and interpret the rich tapestry of African American music history in Kent County. Those early participants delved into the Chesapeake Heartland's digital archive, drawing from interviews and music to craft their own beats and musical compilations, even reinterpreting historic images for their cover art. They also began to share their own perspectives on the profound significance of their community’s history, offering a fresh lens on Kent County's past, present, and future.
Now, in its latest iteration, Hip Hop Time Capsule has shifted its gaze from the digital archive to a tangible landmark: the historic site at 800 High Street in Chestertown. Over 50 high school students from Kent, Talbot, Cecil, and Queen Anne's counties immersed themselves in the multifaceted history of this location—a journey spanning its early 20th-century industrial beginnings, its time as Vita Foods, then Dixon Valve, and finally, its anticipated future as the Washington College Innovation Plant. Embracing the spirit of hip hop as a form of collage and innovation, students drew inspiration from the site's complex past to forge new creations that celebrate its history and beautify the property
Students explored mural painting, printmaking, metal fabrication, woodworking, and music production, all the while gaining hands-on experience in public speaking, workplace culture, and team-building. The initial week was a whirlwind of introductions, with students delving into the essence of hip hop as a genre, exploring 800 High Street and its surrounding historic Uptown Chestertown neighborhood, and visiting Chestertown’s newest public art installations. They participated in mini-workshops with seasoned artists and designers, allowing each student to try their hand in different creative pathways before specializing in one track for the second week.
"Our student interns have come together to learn a number of skills and trades, to reflect on our community's past and future, and to make their mark on this evolving property at the heart of Chestertown,” said Patrick Nugent, the Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Director of Civic Engagement at Washington College. “The tables, benches, murals, posters, and music they designed and brought into being have enriched the site and will ensure the Innovation Plant becomes a vibrant crossroads for both campus and community."
“This ambitious initiative guided student interns through a transformative journey,” said Darius Johnson, director of the Chesapeake Heartland Project. “Students built trust, overcame fears, developed employable skills, and analyzed their community with critical eyes. They were invited to envision themselves as future collaborators in the Innovation Plant—fostering early buy-in and demonstrating that the work of community building can begin long before the space officially opens.”
The program unfolded through engaging, craft-based educational tracks, each expertly guided by Washington College instructors Nugent and Johnson, along with Sara Clarke-De Reza, chair of the education department; Robert Blackson, director of the Kohl Gallery; and Ken Schweitzer of the music department. Additional instructors from the community included musicians Ty Bolden and Washington College alum Kentavius Jones ’04 who led students in music production, and artists Chad Fedorovich and Shelton Hawkins who spearheaded work on the mural and led a high-energy graffiti and mural workshop. Hawkins, an Eastern Maryland native, is known for his work beautifying basketball courts which has taken him across the globe. Christian Benefiel, a sculptor, professor and director of welding and fabrication at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, Maryland, guided students in metalworking. Zachariah Schmitt taught printmaking and assisted students in creating commemorative concert posters interpreted from documents and events around the musical history of Chestertown’s past, particularly the vibrant legacy of the Uptown Club, a historic venue on the Chitlin’ Circuit that once brought legendary Black musicians to the region.
Beyond the artistic endeavors, Hip Hop Time Capsule serves as a powerful incubator for personal and professional growth. High school students are not only honing their creative skills but also building confidence in public speaking, resume writing, professional development, and civic leadership. They work shoulder-to-shoulder with college mentors and seasoned professionals in an environment that is both dynamic and creatively charged.
"We know that the foundation of a successful Innovation Plant has to be built on relationships and responsive to community interests,” explained Clarke-De Reza. “Programs like Hip Hop Time Capsule help us imagine how this space might be best developed to meet the needs of the next generation of makers, innovators, and entrepreneurs."
The Washington College students served as interns in the program, cultivating leadership and teaching skills, assisting with icebreakers, guiding their high school counterparts, and actively contributing to the projects. Their involvement offered invaluable professional development, enhancing their resumes significantly. This program boasts a remarkable retention rate, with former high school participants like Jade Lee—who has been involved with Hip Hop Time Capsule for five years— returning as college interns. Other dedicated interns who contributed this year include Kiera Burger ‘25, Jeremy Cress ‘26, Osman-Love (Ozzie) Bougere '27, Sascha "Euro" Najera '27, Faye Kehm '28, Mariana Kilmon '28, and Evan Paddock '27.
The program was spearheaded by the Washington College Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, Chesapeake Heartland: An African American Humanities Project, and the Kohl Gallery, along with external partner Minary’s Dream Alliance. The College’s music, education, and art departments also contributed to the experience, along with instructional programming additions from Dixon Valve, Sumner Hall, and Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s. Generous support from the Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, TEDCO, and the Kent County Local Management Board ensured the program's continued success.
With the program’s operations spanning across campus and throughout Chestertown, Hip Hop Time Capsule stands as a crucial program for local school systems, particularly Kent County, given the significant number of students from the area. The energy on campus surged on Friday when close to 100 children from the Horizons program joined a special event, further broadening the program's reach and impact.
The groundwork laid this summer promises that the Innovation Plant will continue to be a powerful showcase of creativity, entrepreneurship, and community spirit. You can follow along with the continuing work of the Innovation Plant on Instagram at @wc_innovation_plant, and the continuing work of Chesapeake Heartland at chesapeakeheartland.org.
- Dominique Ellis Falcon
Photos credit: Caroline J. Phillips