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Episode 6: One Family's Civic Quest to 2037

What happens when constitutional learning becomes a family tradition

In this episode, Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, sits down with Adam, Kelsey, and 7-year-old Dominic Varahachaikol to explore how one family has woven civic learning into everyday life, demonstrating what it means to be civic parents. From discovering the National Constitution Center through Civic Quest, the Center's interactive, play-based learning experience, to becoming one of the families selected for the America at 250 Family Time Capsule Challenge, the Varahachaikols share how constitutional learning became a meaningful part of their family's story. On July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the family sealed a collection of meaningful objects into a time capsule that will remain on display in Signers' Hall at the National Constitution Center until September 2037, when they will return to reopen it during the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. What did they choose to preserve, and why? In this conversation, the Varahachaikols reveal the personal stories behind the objects in their time capsule, reflect on what it means to raise civically curious children, discuss what it means to be American at this historic moment, and share the "civic sparks" that have shaped their family's commitment to learning, service, and the enduring promise of the Constitution. Their story offers an inspiring example of how families can embrace the civic decade, using the years between America's 250th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the Constitution to spark curiosity, strengthen civic habits, and deepen engagement in our nation's civic life.

 

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This episode was produced and mixed by Bill Pollock. With production support from Charles Sahm. Research was provided by Anna Salvatore and Tristan Worsham. 

 

Participants 

The Varahachaikols are a civically engaged family living in Reno, Nevada. 

Julie Silverbrook is chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, where she leads the strategy, development, and delivery of the Center’s content, public programs, and educational initiatives, advancing its mission of nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. She oversees the creation of public-facing constitutional content and works to ensure the Center’s programs, scholarly engagement, and educational resources operate as a coordinated national strategy serving students, educators, families, and lifelong learners across the country. 

 

Additional Resources 

 

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