By Kori Stack February 28, 2022
Last week Acton Academy Kennebunkport took a school trip to New York City for a class trip to make learning relevant!! Why just learn about Ellis Island when you can go see it?
This trip was earned by each learner and capped off our U.S.Citizenship quest!
Learners and parents alike all really enjoyed our visit to the Statue of Liberty. It’s such a special experience and one I hope everyone has.
The crown is closed due to covid, but we were able to still climb the 195 steps to the top of the pedestal. Followed by our picnic snack (food is key with young people)
Here are some Statue of Liberty fun facts:
- she represents the Roman Goddess Libertas, personifying freedom
- she is standing on chains with shackles to symbolize freedom from slavery
- the seven points of the crown represent the seven continents and seas
- the torch was originally a ‘light house’
- the tablet she holds is inscribed with July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals to commemorate American independence
- as a gift from France she was shipped over in 214 separate crates (arriving in 1885) and then reassembled here – although the arm and torch were sent first and on display in in Madison Square Park to raise money for building the pedestal (they sold tickets to go up the arm to the torch)
- during the largest restoration project in the 1980s the torch was found to be damaged beyond repair so a replacement torch was made, the original is in the museum on the island
- the statue is struck my lightening 600+ times every year and the torch can sway 5 inches in each direction to account for wind
- she is made out of copper with a thickness of only about 2 pennies and it took 20 years for her to oxidize and turn green
- the metal framework which makes her creation possible was built by the same man who later built the Eiffel Tower
Learning made relevant and real is extremely powerful!
Check out our Facebook page for more pictures from our trip: https://www.facebook.com/Acton-Academy-Kennebunkport-103338627756596
