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Youth & Historic Preservation

One of the great challenges facing the historic preservation community today is expanding public awareness of the benefits that preservation offers to communities and the nation. Another linked issue is how the preservation community can reach out to new audiences -- to interest and inform them -- about historic preservation on both local and national levels.

In an effort to address these needs, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) urges historic preservation organizations to create partnerships with local schools and work to offer service learning and community service opportunities to students using local heritage resources.

Working with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the ACHP has helped create a Web feature with Learn and Serve America that succinctly explains how service learning works and how to go about creating partnerships with schools. This information can be accessed by clicking www.servicelearning.org/service-learning-amp-historic-
preservation/introduction.

This effort is the first major step toward fulfilling a recommendation from the Preserve America Summit to create greater appreciation and support for historic preservation by actively involving youth in historic preservation activities. Information on the Preserve America Summit is available by clicking here.

Latest News

The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions recently published an article by ACHP Chairman Wayne Donaldson on the importance of getting young people involved in historic preservation and service learning. A great strategy to encourage community involvement, service learning is part of the ACHP's outreach to young audience. Read the article here.

The ACHP along with its partners kicked off the service learning project Of the Student, By the Student, For the Student in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia June 25. Six student researched and produced vodcasts are now available at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Read the press release.

Working with the Corporation for National and Community Service and Heritage Education Services of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, the ACHP formally presented the service learning concept at an educational session entitled “Involving Youth in Historic Preservation” at the 2008 National Trust for Historic Preservation annual conference on October 25, 2008. Read about the featured projects here.

Updated August 16, 2011

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