High School Students Urged to Enjoy History This Summer

Summer Scholars Program Participants Will Develop Web-Based Multimedia Exhibit on 1908 Springfield Race Riot

[March 07, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- Area high school students have the chance to be part of history this summer during the second annual Summer Scholars program at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.

This year's participants will research, design and develop a Web-based multimedia exhibit on the 1908 Springfield Race Riot. Last year's Summer Scholars students developed a traveling exhibit on the same topic, and that exhibit is now visiting schools and institutions throughout the state. Participants will use resources from the presidential library and museum, area historic sites, and other sources; attend workshops led by historians and other prominent professionals; and work with library and museum staff to create a final project that showcases their work as photojournalists, designers, webmasters, museum curators and research historians.

Applications are being taken through May 1 for this year's Summer Scholars session, which runs from July 28 through Aug. 8. Sessions are from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each weekday. The free, nonresidential program is open to students entering their sophomore year through 2008 graduates. Students receive meals and a transportation stipend. Application information is available at www.alplm.org/education/summer_scholars.

The Summer Scholars program is funded by a generous grant from the National Recreation Foundation.

[Text from Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum news release received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]