The JTHG Partnership Gears New Education Programs Toward High School Students with Extreme Journey Through Hallowed Ground and Original Video Contest - January 16, 2008

For Immediate Release  
January 16, 2008
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Waterford, Virginia—This year, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership has built on its award-winning education programs to offer two new opportunities for high school students. Both programs combine history with cutting-edge technology and put students into the boots of the leaders who forged our nation. This summer, high school students will have the chance to experience the Extreme Journey Through Hallowed Ground, which, in years past, was only offered to middle school students. Students can also get creative, learn about history and even win one of three cash prizes by creating an original two-minute video for the Ride the Tide Original Video Contest.

The Extreme Journey Through Hallowed Ground for High School Students is a two-week leadership immersion program for rising 9th-11th grade students from across the nation. The program, co-sponsored by the JTHG and the University of Virginia Summer Enrichment Program, gets students away from their desks and gives them hands-on lessons in American heritage and leadership as they hike, bike and paddle with historical experts to Where America Happened. Students will bike the C&O canal, hike Harpers Ferry, canoe Ball’s Bluff and travel back in time to Montpelier, Monticello, Ash Lawn-Highland and Dodona Manor. Participants will record the trials and triumphs from the Revolutionary period through the Civil War using state-of-the art video iPods and digital cameras to create a video documentary, or "vodcast," journaling their experiences.

The Extreme Journey Through Hallowed Ground Summer Camp will be held from June 22-July 3, 2008.  Students along the Journey may apply for a full scholarship, in the amount of $1,000, by visiting www.hallowedground.org. Non-scholarship applicants should apply through University of Virginia. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 15, 2008.

The JTHG Partnership has also developed a brand new creative multimedia contest, The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Original Video Contest: Ride the Tide 2008, which is open to 9th-12th grade students in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Participants read or use selected excerpts from 1776 and John Adams by Pulitzer Prize winning author, David McCullough to create an original two-minute video. The winners of the contest will receive cash prizes—1st prize: $1,000, 2nd prize: $500 and 3rd prize: $300. The top three contestants are also invited to meet David McCullough and will have their videos featured on YouTube.

Entries are due on March 31, 2008. For more information and contest rules and details, visit www.hallowedground.org.

The programs are being headed by Angela Stokes, Director of Educational Programs for the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership.  Ms. Stokes said, “One of our key goals with these programs is to build authentic experiences for students.  Traditional classroom programs answer simple questions, but the historians that guide the interactive programs along the Journey, transport participants back in time and ask them to apply leadership skills as they think through complex decisions that defined our nation. Ms. Stokes added, “ Students love this.  They enjoy being introduced to the complexities of situations, discussing the pros and cons of an idea and being leaders and making choices.”

Cate Magennis Wyatt, president of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, said, “These programs provide a unique learning experience for students—one that combines hands-on lessons in leadership, cutting-edge technology and an unparalleled Journey through American history. Students walk away telling a richer story of their experience—one that shows what they’ve learned through original, video, images, music and interviews.”