/24-7PressRelease/ - FREDERICK, OK, April 17, 2008 - "It is time for history." This sentence doesn't normally bring cheers to students across America, but it does in one school. The Fifth Graders in Frederick Elementary can't wait until they have their history lesson. Why? It is not so much the love of the subject, or the love of their teacher, but the way the teacher presents it to the class.
Fifth Grade History teacher, Cari Ripley, doesn't just teach history, she brings it to life. How? She teaches her class the way she likes to learn, by telling stories. She tells the stories behind the history, making the history lessons seem personal. Mrs. Ripley also uses Power Points to keep her student's attention, adding sounds, pictures, movie clips, animated clip art, and anything else that will keep their attention. After all, these are the students who love to watch TV, and play video games, and the lessons have to be just as captivating and interesting as the media. The results: The students in her fifth grade classes love it! And in return, she is trying to make their summer vacation one that they will never forget. She is trying to raise $150,000 within two months to take every fifth grader on a trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Washington, D.C. this summer.
During this past year, Ripley not only taught United States History, she also teaches patriotism. However, no matter how interesting the lessons were, there is nothing to take the place of actually seeing and experiencing history where it all happened. If the students could walk in the footsteps of our nation's founding fathers, they would see experience something firsthand what they learned in class. It will be an experience the students will never forget. All year long, Ripley has lectured about all of those exceptional men and women who fought and died for America to become a free country. This trip could help the students feel proud to be an American.
"Some people have told me that I am completely out of my mind!" Cari Ripley says with a laugh. "But it will be worth it, if I can instill the love of our country in them." Mrs. Ripley regrets that she didn't think about it earlier in the school year, but she won't let that stop her. When she first got the idea, she went to her school superintendent and told him of it. However, with the state budget cuts, field trips like this are impossible. That was just her first obstacle to overcome.
With no help from her school, Ripley, and some of her colleagues, formed a council and started talking about raising the funds. Then the second obstacle loomed right before them. Seventy percent of the students who attend Frederick Public Schools qualify for free or reduced lunch. That meant only the students whose parents could afford the trip could go. Ripley kept imagining herself in most of her student's shoes. To be given this opportunity for a life-changing experience when you were in fifth grade and not be able to participate for lack of funds and that is where the majority of the students in her classes find themselves. "This is not fair to them, and I want every student to attend this trip," stated Ripley.
That left her with one other option. The Council would have to raise all of the money so every student could go on the trip. The next obstacle immediately showed up. It would be impossible to raise that kind of money within their rural community.
Ripley then reached out to Wilmes Ford Lincoln Mercury in Altus, Ok, who agreed to help the Council raise the money. They have teamed up to sell 3,000 raffle tickets for $50 each, for the lucky winner to win a $20,000 credit to the dealership. With the $20,000 credit, the lucky winner can then choose the new vehicle of their choice. The raffle will bring in $150,000, if they sell all of them. The Council estimates by the time they pay for the trip, and the prize, they will just about break even. The drawing will be June 14, 2008. "Someone is going to have a fantastic Father's Day gift," stated Wilmes Ford Manager, Joe Russell. (Raffle tickets can be purchased by visiting their website: http://www.frederickyouth.org)
Even though the Council is trying to raise all of the money for every student, they do not want the students to think that this is a free trip. Every student who signs up for the trip will have to give 40 hours of community service before they leave in July on the trip. The Council has teamed up with the Frederick Chamber of Commerce to find businesses to put the local 5th Graders to work. "They need to learn to think of someone else besides themselves, learn good work ethics and become more civic minded." stated Ripley.
Last Saturday, the group of 5th Graders started their community service by picking up trash around town. The students are excited to earn their way to Washington D.C. Every day, students anxiously check the bulletin board to see when and where their next group volunteer activity will be. "It is nice to see the students wanting to give back to the community."
Ripley summed everything up very nicely, "We have to teach patriotism to our students. They need to know the value and the satisfaction of giving back to a community. They need to be proud that they live in America!"
The Frederick Youth Leadership Council goals are to promote:
Patriotism, Volunteerism, Leadership Skills, History
For further information, please contact us at (580) 335-1966 or visit our wesite: http://www.frederickyouth.org
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- car, community, d.c., field, history., leadership., patriotism, raffle, rural., school., teach, trip, volunteer, washington, win
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