Tight Economy Means Scholarships for Local Teachers
The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Helps Teachers Go Back to School

For Immediate Release  
January 30, 2009
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Waterford, Virginia — In these belt-tightening economic times, many teachers might be forced to put their continued education on hold. But not seven Loudoun educators, who received a tuition scholarship from the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership to participate in a class that helps them incorporate the unparalleled historical resources from the JTHG National Heritage Area into an exciting academic curriculum.

For the third consecutive year, the JTHG Partnership has joined forces with Northern Virginia Community College to deliver this special course designed to help educators use the surrounding historic treasures within the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area in their daily lesson plans. This however is the first year that the Loudon School Board budget had to be cut and resources to help teachers take the course were no longer available. In response, the JTHG Partnership sought and secured the support of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, and as a result has been able to offer scholarships to qualified teachers from Loudoun County to take this class.

“Everyone benefits from this -- the students, the teachers as well as future generations,” said Cate Magennis Wyatt, president of the JTHG Partnership. “Teachers will be able to move beyond dates in books and into a truly stimulating learning experience, which affords students an authentic experience and superior understanding of the contributions made by very common folk who lived, literally in their backyards. This, in turn, allows every young citizen to know, that they, too, can make a difference.”

Educating teachers, students, citizens and visitors is the primary objective of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership. Since its inception in 2006, this non-profit, four-state, public-private partnership has developed a variety of educational programs and underwritten numerous educational programs, including the highly acclaimed Journey Extreme camps for middle school children, the high school Summer Enrichment Camp with the University of Virginia, the high school programs for Loudoun County AP History classes, and the semester courses for graduate students at the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

The NVCC Course — History 298: The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, Teaching with Local Historic Sites, is led by local historian, multiple prize winning educator Rich Gillespie. The 15-week class will help Loudoun educators use the surrounding historic treasures in their curriculums to transform lesson plans into hands-on activities where students can experience the region known as Where America Happened™.

Educators also will learn how to create an ongoing partnership between their class and their chosen heritage site. In the spirit of the course goals, classes are held at the historic, former home of Virginia Governor Westmorland Davis – Morven Park, just outside Leesburg.