Laurel Museum Grant: Virtual Summer Camps, Covid-19 Relief

Two traditionally on-site Laurel Historical Society camps are being transformed into virtual camps for 2020. The LHS is creating an Archaeology and Native American Heritage Camp and a Rube Goldberg/19th Century Mill Life Camp. The transformation is being made possible because of a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) CARES Act grant that was awarded this June.

Working with local educators, LHS Executive Director Ann Bennett, herself a trained archaeologist, will create materials and “dig and identify” experiences that campers can undertake in their homes, and through video-chat sessions on Google Classroom. The archaeology camp will be held August 3-7, 2020. The Rube Goldberg Camp, which will use as its basis Laurel’s 19th Century mill life, will focus on creating a “contraption” that incorporates some element of mill operations. It will be held August 10-14, 2020. Both camps are free, but participates will be limited to 60, which is actually significantly more than the camps can usually accommodate. Registration days will be announced in the near future and will be on a first-come, first serve basis. NO registrations will be accepted before the announced registration dates.

“While we wish we could have our regular camps, the necessities created by the Covid-19 pandemic are leading us to be more creative and explore new directions for Laurel’s young people, which will be of long-term benefit to the community and to the LHS,” stated Bennett. “These free new virtual camps will enable us to reach members of our community disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including low-income families, immigrant communities, and communities of color.”

The LHS has also been awarded an MHAA (Maryland Heritage Areas Authority) matching grant through Maryland Milestones and a Maryland Humanities Council CARES Act Emergency Relief Grant. Together these grants will help the LHS cover disruptions in operations that have created operating fund financial shortfalls created due to the Covid-19 Emergency.

The Laurel Historical Society, and the Laurel Museum are located at 817 Main Street, Laurel, Maryland. Its hours are currently restricted, and for up-to-date information please visit www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org or contact the LHS through info@Laurelhistoricalsociety.org.

Acknowledgements

The virtual summer camps have been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed at the camps and through their materials do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Maryland Humanities Council Grant funding has been provided to the LHS from Maryland Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security(CARES Act of 2020”#NEHGrant, #NEHCares, @NEHgov, @NEH_Education