Holding History in Her Hands.

Q: Describe your work at the National Archives and Records administration.

A: I'm an exhibit curator of "American Originals," a changing exhibit of documentary treasures from the National Archives holdings that includes such documents as the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the police blotter listing the assassination of President Lincoln, and the arrest papers of Rosa Parks.

As the curator, I select and label the pieces. During the selection process, I look at original documents here at the National Archives. I also spend time conducting secondary research, writing, and talking to historians and other experts to be sure that what I've written is correct. After an exhibit opens, I spend a lot of time talking to newspaper, radio, and television reporters who are writing stories about the exhibit.

Q: What do you like best about your Job?

A: My job takes me throughout the Archives' holdings. In a single day, I might look at the tools and documents from the Watergate break-in, a map that George Washington used during the Revolutionary War, or a letter written by Elvis Presley to President Nixon. These original documents really put me in touch with the details of historical events.

For example, seeing the arrest records of Rosa Parks -- her fingerprints and the report of the arresting officers -- reminded me that she was treated as a criminal and that she was jailed briefly for challenging the racial cede of the day, Even though I was familiar with the history of her arrest, seeing the original documents gave me a new appreciation for the courage she had in taking a stand.

Q: What do you find important about public service?

A: I think it's important to put people directly in touch with the original documents from their own history. The National Archives keeps the record of what government has done since it began. This record is part of the public trust that keeps the government honest and accountable to the people.

Q: How could a student follow in your footsteps?

A: I think the best advice for students is to follow their interests. There are a lot of different ways tn arrive at curatorial jobs. Stay in school and study the things that are most interesting to them. That is what has led me to this job.

Q: Is there a particular path of study that you took or that you could recommend?

A: In college I was a Spanish major. After graduation, I realized I was interested in museum work, so I went to graduate school in Washington, D.C. to study museum education. Through an internship, I came to know the National Archives and learned to conduct research which eventually lead to a job here.

Q: What range of salaries could people expect if they entered your field?

A: A college graduate could expect a starting salary of about $27,000 or $28,000. With a graduate degree, one could expect a starting salary of about $40,000.

FAST FACTS: The National Archives

1. The National Archives preserves and makes available for research the valuable records of the United States Government.

2, The Archives holds the three most important documents in our nation's history on permanent display -- the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights -- known collectively as the Charters of Freedom.

3. The Charters are sealed in glass cases with special filters to protect the documents from harmful light rays. Each night they are lowered into a vault 22 feet below the exhibition hall floor for safe keeping.

4. If stacked in a single pile, the nationwide holdings of the National Archives would reach 378 miles into the air.

The Heroes of Public Service Project exposes teens to people doing interesting work in public sector. It is a collaboration of the Ford Foundation and the Council for Excellence in Government through the Partnership for Trust in Government. For more information on the National Archives, visit their website at www.nara.gov. To learn more about the Partnership or to e-mail Stacey, visit www.trustingov.org.