Stuart Lilie, Fort Ticonderoga’s Director of Interpretation, with students from Ticonderoga Elementary School during a recent school outreach program. A grant from Champlain National Bank makes the program available for fourth grade students in Champlain, Crown Point, Keene, Westport, and Willsboro this spring.
Fort Ticonderoga recently received a grant from Champlain National Bank supporting school outreach programs in several northern New York communities in 2013. “Fort Ticonderoga, recognized as one of America’s most significant historic sites, is the gem of the North Country,” said Joe Shaw, President and CEO of Champlain National Bank. “We are so happy to increase awareness of this tremendous educational resource that we have in our region.”
Funding from Champlain National Bank will enable fourth grade classes at schools in Crown Point, Elizabethtown, Keene, Lake Placid, Westport, and Willsboro to bring an Interpreter from Fort Ticonderoga into the classroom to share the experience of being a soldier on the Lake Champlain frontier during the American Revolution. During the program students learn about the daily life of soldiers. Students have a hands-on experience with high-quality reproductions that Continental soldiers carried during the Revolution. Students obtain an understanding of the purpose and function of each item and the larger concepts related to service in America’s War for Independence.
“The most effective way for students to learn about their history is for them to experience it,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga’s President and CEO. “This expeditionary learning program connects students to a variety of inter-disciplinary topics and activities through the lens of Fort Ticonderoga’s history and helps teachers meet core curriculum goals.”
Funding will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for Crown Point Central School, Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School, Keene Central School, Lake Placid Central School, Westport Central School, and Willsboro Central School. Funding support from Champlain National Bank covers all the program costs, including mileage.
Fort Ticonderoga offers outreach programs throughout the school year in northeastern New York and western Vermont. To learn more about programs for students and teachers from Fort Ticonderoga visit www.fortticonderoga.org and select the “Explore and Learn” tab. Teachers interested in learning more about school programs, including outreach programs, should contact Rich Strum, Director of Education, at rstrum@fort-ticonderoga.org or at 518-585-6370.