Vina High School teacher Richie Hester’s annual field trip for his dual enrollment history class isn’t just well-received by his students. It’s also a favorite for the other teachers and facilitators who make the trip.
Hester’s dual enrollment course provides high school students six credit hours at Northwest Shoals Community College over the two-semester, college-level United States history course. Students watch a video recorded by Hester for each daily lesson.
And the October 21st field trip brought the students’ classroom lessons to life with a trip to the Franklin County Archives and several local cemeteries.
Students gain a new understanding of local history as well as learning about their own family histories through research done at the Archives. Archives volunteer Sharon Mugno explained to students there are files on many family names that include historical articles, photos, documents and death certificates, giving students a head start on researching their own family histories.
“Last year, the feedback I received from the faculty who accompanied the students described it as the best and most meaningful field trip they’ve ever been part of,” said Franklin County Schools Superintendent of Schools Greg Hamilton.
This year’s dual enrollment history class includes students from Vina and Tharptown High Schools. It may be called U.S. History, but Hester’s course includes a healthy dose of local history, with the historical cemeteries where students see the markers of those who pioneered Franklin County’s development dating back to the early 1800s.
For Vina student Harper Dean, visiting the Franklin County Archives afforded him the chance to find a file on the Lawler family, his mother Briana’s maiden name, and their rich local history.
“I didn’t know before today how far back her family goes in Franklin County,” Dean said. “I knew they were in Hodges, but looking farther back they were in the Hackleburg area too. It’s so interesting to learn about my family history.”
Dean was so interested in what he found, he was the last student out of the Archives and onto the bus for the group’s next stop, the Nooe-Wilson Cemetery, hidden on a drive off South Washington Avenue in Russellville, where students located and cleaned some of the prominent family’s grave markers.
The students were also chaperoned by Tharptown teacher and coach Michael Burkett, the school’s facilitator for dual-enrollment history, and Russellville Police Department Sergeant Derek Henderson.
A highlight for Tharptown student Drake Massey was finding a military service photo of his grandfather, Howard Massey, on the Archives wall.
The students’ day began by meeting Russellville Mayor David Grissom and RPD Chief Chris Hargett at Russellville City Hall, where the day-long police escort began.
A drive by Eastside Park provided the students a lesson on baseball legend Willie Mays’ connection to Russellville as well as the story of the Russellville Travelers.
Other stops included Olde Town Cemetery, Devaney Cabin, Harris Plantation and lunch at a local restaurant. On their return to school, the Vina students visited Underground Lake in Belgreen.
The field trip is a memorable part of the dual-enrollment experience, something that will help students as they move on to college. For Vina senior Lana Bell, the six credit hours will ease the busy workload expected for the soon-to-be college athlete.
“I’m going to play softball at college and then continue into stenography,” Bell said. “With dual-enrollment, I’ll have some credits going into college, allowing me to get a little ahead as a student athlete. I’m wanting to make that transition as easy as it possibly can be.”