"First, the people at the Smithsonian deserve as much respect for their work and effort as possible."
First, you're trying to persuade the wrong kid that the people at the Smithsonian deserve respect for their work.
I'm an American Indian, and the Smithsonian has made its reputation exploting my relatives for their own funding purposes. This is not lib spin. It's a discernable fact that the Smithsonians have actively done their field work digging into the graves of Indian people.
I seriously doubt you would appreciate having this done to your relatives.
Second, how in the heck do you know that a 13 year old kid would find it cool to have his body exploted for this purpose? Do you have a power the rest of us don't have?
If so, please tell us what it is. If apparently gives you the ability to change the facts and histories of federal institutions.
It's very akin to have people tell me what a great thing the buffalo soldiers were. To my family, buffalo soldiers were simply killers who hunted down Indian people, too.
I could care less who digs up my kin in forgotten graves as long as they are reburied.
I'm in the middle of convincing my family to dig up about 20 graves in the old family cemetery that dates back to the early 1800s. All that's left are nubs of fieldstones.
I'd love to disinterr, identify and give a proper burial (again) with markers in the new family cemetery.
And if the Smithsonian wishes to help me out, so much the better!