Thanks to generous support from several foundations, Fort Ticonderoga served over 800 students throughout the Adirondacks and in western Vermont during the current school year. The “Soldier’s Life at Fort Ticonderoga” program made up the majority of the programs.
This program provides students with a tangible, hands-on, minds-on experience of history,” said Judy Contompasis, School and Youth Programs Coordinator at Fort Ticonderoga. “Students are encouraged to think critically about the lives of soldiers during the American Revolution and determine the logistics required to supply the army at Fort Ticonderoga. Students discover how the geography of Ticonderoga influenced the history of North America.”
Lisa Fabin, a fourth grade teacher from Minerva Central School, noted “It was wonderful and the students loved the program. They were able to touch the reproduction clothes that a soldier wore. They saw the pack that was used to carry the blanket, food, soap, and writing notebook in it. The canteen and the gunpowder horn were also a part of the soldier’s gear. They not only learned about the gear but they also learned how many pounds and tons of gear were needed for the troops during wartime. They were using math and thinking skills! As a veteran teacher I know that kids learn by doing, holding, tasting, touching, creating, and viewing artifacts!”
“This was spot-on for what our students are learning right now, thank you for visiting our classroom!” added Anna Howell, from Lincoln Community School in Lincoln, Vermont.
The programs featured both an educator and an historical interpreter going into fourth grade classrooms. In total, 812 students were served in 23 different schools throughout the region. Fort Ticonderoga staff logged over 1,500 miles during the year traveling to schools.
Generous grant support made possible these in-classroom programs. Programs within the Adirondack Park were supported by the Lake Placid Education Foundation while programs in Vermont’s Addison County received support from the Walter Cerf Community Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation.
Teachers’ interested in booking a program for the coming 2016-17 school year are invited to contact Fort Ticonderoga Education Department at 518-585-6370 to place their name on a waiting list pending anticipated funding.. The programs are offered late October 2016 through mid-April 2017 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. To learn more about education programs from Fort Ticonderoga, visit www.FortTiconderoga.org and select the “Education” tab on the menu.