More than 1,700 DCPS students had the opportunity to learn about the USS Constitution, aka "Old Ironsides" - a Navy ship constructed in 1794, when the national program "Old Ironsides" Across the Nation visited several elementary schools January 27-30.
Named after the U.S. Constitution by President George Washington, Old Ironsides is the oldest commissioned vessel afloat in the nation, and is based out of Boston, Mass. Because the ship is a historic symbol for the United States and because it never leaves the Massachusetts Bay, the USS Constitution Museum and the U.S. Navy created the national outreach program to visit schools in one area of the country each year to educate students about the ship.
"The USS Constitution essentially belongs to everyone," said one of the presenters, Rebecca Crawford, an outreach learning coordinator for the USS Constitution Museum. "It is important that we keep the history of this great ship alive by educating others about its rich legacy and fascinating stories."
During the program, Navy officers currently serving aboard the ship, as well as historians from the museum, provided students with an in-depth look at the USS Constitution, including samples of articles that would have been found on the ship hundreds of years ago, details about the ship’s construction, and current information about the ship today, which is run by a crew of 60 officers and sailors who keep the vessel open to visitors year-round and provide free tours. Students even had the opportunity to wear the uniforms of crew members and the captain from the 1700s.
The following elementary schools hosted the free program: Richard L. Brown, Greenland Pines, Mandarin Oaks, Susie E. Tolbert, Seabreeze, J. Allen Axson Montessori School, John C. Stockton and Fort Caroline.
After visiting schools in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and St. Mary’s, “Old Ironsides” Across the Nation held weekend presentations and activities at the Museum of Science and History (MOSH). To date, the program has reached more than 110,000 Americans, over two-thirds of whom are students or educators.
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