Experiencing America's Heritage 2009

In the Fall semester of 2009 in my Geography 3050-North America class we had a group project day called Experiencing America's Heritage 2009. The students had picked a state out of a box, and were given the role of Heritage Tourism coordinators for their state, tasked with devising a heritage tour that would be exciting and interesting to tour promoters coming to the heritage tourism event. The tour promoters/travel agents were student from geography and history classes who were given extra credit for participating in the event. The project involved identifying heritage sites, such as historic homes, museums, cemeteries, battlefields, and archaeological sites that people might want to visit in their state. The event was a great success, with all of the projects well done. We had over a hundred participants, and a good time, I think, was had by all.

Students picking up their judging forms. We had a big crowd.

There was a large crowd of judges. Students really paid attention to the presentations.

Students in the North America class waited patiently for the judges. The group from Indiana did a very good job with their project.

The group from New Hampshire did a good job with their visuals. The group from Alabama did a great job with their board.

Though not as spectacular as Alabama, the group from Kansas also did a good job. This group emphasized the space theme for Mississippi.

The group from New York did a good job with a complex state. The group from Ohio did a good job selling their state.

I was interested in West Virginia because that is where I was born. Though one doesn't think of Iowa for heritage, the group did a good job with their tour.

This was a large class, but it was a fun group to work with.