This funding will provide that a team of retired teachers will be recruited and or trained and will assist c o canal national historical park (park) staff with engaging k-12 audiences in-person at…

This funding will provide that a team of retired teachers will be recruited and or trained and will assist c o canal national historical park (park) staff with engaging k-12 audiences in-person at multiple park locations, as well as engaging k-12 students through virtual online programming. The project is a continuation and expansion of an award-winning model, canal classrooms, created in 2013 between the park and the c o canal trust. Project objectives include the following: 1) develop sustainable education program delivery and outreach to new student audiences. 2) engage several thousand k-12 students each year across multiple school districts in MD, DC, WV, VA, and online students. 3) build collaboration among school districts, communities, and the park to best serve k-12 students. 4) improve teacher understanding of the park and its resources available for teachers students. 5) encourage students and teachers to explore and utilize national parks as outdoor classrooms, as new and or updated curriculum will support national and state academic standards. 6) support local schools through busing scholarships to help supplement the cost of transportation for a field trip to the park.