Old Stories, New Voices Program
Colorado Historical Society

Some Denver children have never been outside their urban environment, pitched a tent, seen wildlife first-hand, nor learned the history of the American West. The Old Stories, New Voices Program, a partnership between the Colorado Historical Society and the National Park Service, offers youngsters a once-in-a-lifetime immersion in the history, diverse cultures, and natural landscape of their home state. By taking them back in time to experience the challenges of their pioneer ancestors, the program helps students increase their own resilience and sense of responsibility. Participants also learn to appreciate the importance of the past, as well as historic preservation and conservation.

The core activities of Old Stories, New Voices are centered at historic Fort Garland, just three hours from Denver in the San Luis Valley. Youth from the city and students from rural communities share a week of cultural exploration that reinforces the values of diversity and respect, and their importance in the history of the region.

Students spend one full day studying each of the cultures integral to the history of the southern Colorado region. Using living history as a bridge to the past, youth role-play characters specific to the site and time period, including Hispanic artists, Buffalo Soldiers, and Plains Indians. Participants investigate and reenact the lives of these early inhabitants of their state to understand how they lived and how the groupsí histories merged. Hands-on activities include sequencing archaeological items, interpreting artifacts, sketching, and keeping journals. The week concludes with a performance, presented in Fort Garlandís theater, that highlights what the students have learned. Afterward, a camping trip to Sand Dunes Park tests their physical endurance.

Old Stories, New Voices does not end at the gates of Fort Garland, however. During the school year, program staff stay in contact with participants through a range of quarterly activities, such as museum visits, living history presentations, and nature hikes. And the mentorship that began at Fort Garland is ongoing. Staff members strengthen their relationships with the students by monitoring their academic progress and watching them develop as individuals, as the lessons of the past begin to shape their futures.