Revolutionary history is not just relevant but also fun, according to Kelsey Curley, whose 7-year-old son Bennett participated in a minicamp at the American Independence Museum (AIM) last summer.
“He has already asked a few times about going back this summer,” she said. “He had no background knowledge on any of the topics discussed, but he was very intrigued and engaged from day one.”
For Curley, her interest in AIM’s customized education programs extended to her professional career where she is a fifth-grade teacher in the Kensington school district. “I brought my class here to the museum for a field trip last fall,” she explained. “It was incredible.”
She cited AIM’s Sarah Jaworski, who has directed educational programming at the museum for years, as “equally impressive.” Before bringing her class to AIM, she shadowed Jaworski during the summer session.
“Sarah immediately shared stories and resources,” Curley said. “I learned so much— the impact of the Exeter River in our area, the multiple perspectives of people during colonial times, the history with the Wentworths and other famous people, and so much more.”
For Jaworski, Curley’s experience typifies what she hopes all educators and parents experience at AIM. “We work very hard to create an educational environment here that is fun and inclusive,” she said.
Curley added that history education is also “incredibly relevant.” “My class was able to connect everything they learned at AIM back to the current day, including money and economics,” she said. “The students also learned how New Hampshire previously had its own currency and treasury, which Sarah was able to show us…It was all so cool, and there truly was so much more to learn, too.”
Home to 3,000 historic artifacts, including an original copy of the Dunlap Broadside (Declaration of Independence), AIM develops programs, events, and exhibits that engage people of all ages in the ongoing struggle for freedom and self-governance. AIM is sponsored in part by The Society Of The Cincinnati In The State Of New Hampshire, Service Credit Union, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and William W. Treat Foundation.
To learn more about AIM minicamps, click the button below.
About American Independence Museum
Located in Exeter, NH, the American Independence Museum features a rare collection of historic artifacts that shed light on the Revolutionary War. Examples of popular items in our exhibits include a dragoon pistol, brown bess musket, and 18th century powder horn. Many of our programs offer insight into civic duties, civic engagement and civic responsibility, while we also feature a variety of things to do in NH, such as camps for kids, festivals, summer festival, reenactments, and homeschool programs. Perfect for a day trip or weekend trips, we believe in inclusivity and inclusive history and the spirit behind the phrase, ‘we the people’.