Featherlite Pioneer Immersion Program
Vesterheim’s Featherlite Pioneer Immersion Program will
be from March to May for area schools. The
exhibition for the student's projects will be May 12-17 in the museum's
Hauge Gallery, Westby-Torgerson Education Center, open 1:00-5:00
p.m. daily.
On Thursday, May 15, there will be an Exhibition Open House with the students
from 4:30-6:30 p.m., in the Hauge
Gallery,
Westby-Torgerson Education Center.
Featherlite, Inc., of Cresco, Iowa (a national leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing specialty trailers, custom mobile marketing trailers, and luxury motor coaches) will collaborate with Vesterheim by becoming the primary corporate sponsor of the Pioneer Immersion Program (formally known as the fourth grade immersion program.)
The company has agreed to contribute $16,000 annually for five years, for a total of $80,000. This gift will allow Vesterheim to offer the Featherlite Pioneer Immersion Program to several school districts in Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota.
School districts participating in the Spring 2006 program include fourth grade classes at Decorah Community Schools, St. Benedicts Catholic School, and North Winneshiek School. Other schools may be added to the list before the start of the spring program.
During the pioneer program, Vesterheim educational staff visits the schools, and in lessons that illustrate what it is like to immigrate to a new country, they share readings from immigrant’s journals and explain pioneer artifacts from the Vesterheim collection. Next, in a series of museum visits, the students tour the museum and participate in programs that explore aspects of pioneer life, like doing chores, building a log home, and learning in a one-room school.
As a part of their experience, students are directed by their classroom teachers in creating their own pioneer journal and creating a pioneer project. The pioneer projects form a special exhibition so that parents, friends, relatives, and the community can view the student’s work.
For more information about the Featherlite Pioneer Immersion Program, please contact Vesterheim at 563-382-9681 or info@vesterheim.org.