The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Garfield site staff earn award for education work
“Our staff put significant time, effort and resources into this program, and it’s great to receive this recognition. I’m proud of and happy for everyone here who worked on this and also for teacher Christy Downs, who fully shares in this award with us.” — Site Manager Todd Arrington
The National Park Service staff of James A. Garfield National Historic Site was recently honored for its education work.
The Omaha, Nebraskabased regional office of U.S. Department of the Interior Regions 3, 4, 5 bestowed its Team Education Award to the Garfield site for its “Garfield and His Union Friends” program, planned and presented this spring in partnership with Willoughby Middle School, according to a news release.
“Garfield and His Union Friends” introduces students to several northern figures of the Civil War era and explains not only their important work of the period but also their connections to Union General and future President James A. Garfield. The “friends” are photographer Mathew Brady; abolitionist/orator Frederick Douglass; Cleveland-based Ladies Aid Society leader Rebecca Rouse; President Abraham Lincoln; and poet/civilian nurse Walt Whitman.
The Garfield National Historic Site staff partnered with Willoughby Middle School history teacher Christy Downs to present the program to several classes both in their classrooms and at the presidential home in Mentor. The Garfield site plans to expand offerings of this program to other area middle schools next year, the release stated.
Park Ranger Allison Powell was the lead on this award-winning project. Other site staff recognized by the Team Education Award are Park Ranger Mary Lintern; Lead Volunteer Debbie Weinkamer; former Park Ranger Christopher Dobeck; and former Park Guide Rebecca Hayward.
“We’re thrilled to be recognized with this year’s Team Education Award,” Site Manager Todd Arrington stated in the release. “Our staff put significant time, effort, and resources into this program, and it’s great to receive this recognition. I’m proud of and happy for everyone here who worked on this and also for teacher Christy Downs, who fully shares in this award with us.”
The Garfield National Historic Site is located at 8095 Mentor Ave. (U.S. Route 20) in Mentor.