Hands-On History

Hands-On History at the History Colorado Community Museums provides participatory history- and culture-based programming for students in Colorado during times when school is not in session. 
 

In rural Colorado, many school districts have school just four days a week, creating a hardship for working families. Studies demonstrate that the time between school dismissal and when parents leave work is the most dangerous time of day for young people. No school on Friday exacerbates this problem in our community. Thus, families in Pueblo, Trinidad, the San Luis Valley, and Weld County are looking for safe places for educational opportunities during these times.

The History Colorado Community Museums serve rural Colorado communities through educational programming that fits our mission, while also meeting the needs of Colorado families. Hands-On History (HOH) provides hands-on classes that intersect with themes and topics specific to our museums, including: folklorico dancing, Native American arts and traditions, hand-building clay, homesteading, storytelling, frontier skills, foodways, and more.

All HOH instructors are paid professionals, practicing artists, and/or cultural experts.

This program has set a foundation for our son, JD, to build upon. We can say this almost three years later, as our son hasn't missed a session yet. He is excited again to participate in the next new session!

During the school year, Hands-On History programs run when school is not in session — on Fridays or Mondays, teacher in-service days, spring break, and so on — for all-day sessions to accommodate working families with traditional work schedules. Volunteers greet the students with a snack and water. Students check in and are given their name tag.

In addition, the Hands-On History programs provide summer camps that also helps working families while delivering our mission-based workshops.

Target Audience

The target audience for Hands-On History is working families with elementary-age school students in the communities served by our museums. Many schools in our communities are federally classified as Title I Schools serving large numbers of low-income families. Roughly 90% of families receive some sort of tuition assistance to attend Hands-On History.

For information at Hands-On History at any of our sites or to enroll your child, click here.