National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award Finalist
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jamie Glavic
(513) 333-7511
(513) 802-7355
jglavic@nurfc.org
Assia Johnson
(513) 333-7555
(513) 787-2110
asjohnson@nurfc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CINCINNATI, OH (April 27, 2016) – The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center announced today that they have been chosen as a 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (NAHYP) Finalist by President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and its partner agencies, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was selected from 301 nominated organizations and institutions across 44 states and the District of Columbia for their accomplishments in after-school and out-of-school learning, specifically the Freedom Center Youth Docent program. The program was created in partnership with the Cincinnati Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and designed to expose local high school students to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center’s mission and focus on education. The Freedom Center Youth Docent Program, which requires a one year commitment from students, combines themes of courage, cooperation, perseverance and freedom to aid in developing leadership, presentation, communication and critical thinking skills. The program’s continued efforts in engaging and immersive educational programming will be reviewed by a national jury comprised of experts in the field of the arts and humanities.
“We are thrilled to be a 2016 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award finalist,” says Dr. Michael Battle, executive vice president and provost of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “To be selected for our Youth Docent Program from a list including hundreds of stellar institutions and organizations around the nation dedicated to education and service is an honor well deserved by our education team and the Cincinnati Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.”
If selected, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center will receive $10,000 and an invitation to the White House awards ceremony hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as the opportunity to participate in the NAHYP Awardee Conference in Washington. Previous recipients include, Rosie’s Theater Kids, Inc.’s ACTE II A Commitment to Excellence (2015) and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s CPS Shakespeare! (2014).
To learn more about the NAHYP Award, click here. For more information about the Youth Docent Program at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center visit freedomcenter.org.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center opened in August 2004 on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Since then, more than 1.3 million people have visited its permanent and changing exhibits and public programs, inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Two million people have utilized educational resources online at freedomcenter.org, working to connect the lessons of the Underground Railroad to inform and inspire today’s global and local fight for freedom. Partnerships include Historians Against Slavery, Polaris Project, Free the Slaves, US Department of State and International Justice Mission. In 2014, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center launched a new online resource in the fight against modern slavery, endslaverynow.org.