Ani Arzoomanian and Jennifer Witt

Experienced Smithsonian Journeys Youth Directors, Ani Arzoomanian & Jennifer Witt will lead groups of similarly aged children and young adults on educational and recreational activities developed to enhance their appreciation of the sites visited. They look forward to welcoming you and your young traveling companions to the trip!

Ani Arzoomanian is a fourth grade teacher in Arlington, Virginia. She received her Master's in Education from the University of Rhode Island, from where she also holds a Bachelor's degree in International Business. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and is actively involved in charity work. Recently, she spent time in Uganda supporting schools in rural areas, and continues to raise awareness about the importance of education. 

Jennifer Witt is a fourth grade teacher in Arlington, Virginia. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a M.Ed. from George Mason. As a fourth grade teacher, she loves working with kids and guiding them to discover new things. She has lived in the DC area her whole life and enjoys visiting the Smithsonian museums on the weekends. She also enjoys traveling to new places, previously traveling to Africa to work with schools in rural Uganda. She is looking forward to meeting you and your young travel companions on the Rhine!

Carol Reynolds

After a long career as a music-history professor at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, specializing in Russian and German Studies, Carol Reynolds now combines her insights on historical culture and the arts with her passion for education to create curricula empowering students and adults in their study of the Liberal Arts. Since 2011 she has spent significant time each year traveling for Smithsonian Journeys as an expert on tours across Europe, Russia, and the Adriatic. She also works closely with her colleagues at Memoria Press, Classical Academic Press, and other publishers in the revival of Classical Education, speaking widely and contributing courses designed to teach history through the lens of the Fine Arts. Her publications include her signature program Discovering Music, Imperial Russia, Early Sacred Music, America’s Artistic Legacy, and A Child’s Treasure of Music. She just published a classic family songbook called Hurrah and Hallelujah.