Nine students, their parents and teachers traveled I-65 south to Montevallo for the first field trip of the year.
Students in grades 3-6 spent the day at American Village, learning about the creation of the U.S. government and former leaders. The location is a place near and dear to teacher Sabrina Priest's heart.
"I have taken students to American Village on several occasions in the past. I knew it would be an amazing experience to step into the past and become immersed in our Country's independence from Britain," Priest said. "American Village contains a replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon, the Presidential Oval Office of Bill Clinton, Independence Hall in Pennsylvania and a replica of a court room, as well as, a full sized cathedral. "
Besides the usual American Village exhibits, students were treated to the American Village Experience, a brand new program that includes the Independence Program. This program allowed students to be a part of a state-of-the-art, interactive experience using cutting-edge technology and special effects to fully immerse them in the light for independence.
"They saw a replica of the Liberty Bell and learned how Ladies and Gentleman greeted each other by bowing or curtsying. Students learned how the judicial system worked during the pre-Revolutionary War period and experienced the stockades for punishment," Priest said. "During the Independence Program, students were immersed in the Second Continental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence with their very own quill pen and ink. "
Priest says the students loved the signing the Declaration of Independence with the real quill pen, but probably their favorite part was learning about the judicial system where they were placed in stockades.
"It's important for students to become immersed in history by taking a part in it," Priest said. "The actors involved in making American Village authentic truly captivate the students attention while reinforcing American liberty from Britain. "