Inspire

When learning about the Civil War, an African American Newport News fifth-grade girl did not expect to hear stories about anyone who looked like her. During a Clash of Armor field trip at The Mariners’ Museum and Park, she learned about Mary Bowser, a freed slave who served as a Union spy. The student’s face lit up when she felt a connection to this heroic woman, developing an interest in this historical period for the first time. We hear stories like this constantly, but there is great opportunity to grow the impact we have on students and reach deeper into our community. I hope you will consider making a gift and partnering with us to ensure that students continue to receive impactful educational enrichment programs at the Museum.

Our Museum education team designs and delivers engaging student programs to enhance and supplement classroom instruction. Whether students participate in a program at the Museum, have a Museum educator come to their classroom, or engage via interactive video conferencing, they benefit from hands-on, cross-curricular educational experiences that bring history, science, and language arts to life. Our student programs are not just a day off of school—they complement classroom lessons and help improve learning outcomes for students.

We hope that throughout their time in school, students continue to see The Mariners’ Museum and Park as a key piece of their education with multiple experiences at the Museum, in a variety of lessons, inspiring a love of learning, and pride in their education. Students, like the fifth grader above, receive firsthand exposure to unique subjects like water quality testing, underwater robotics, navigational instruments, and primary resources. We want our education programs to be the best-in-class and serve as a model for other institutions. Today, more than ever, we are committed to being a place that inspires curiosity and fuels the passions of our youngest visitors.

We connect people to the world’s waters because through the waters through our shared maritime heritage—we are connected to one another. Our students, no matter their race, gender, or socioeconomic background, are able to find their own connection to the water and to their classmates, allowing them to gain a sense of identity and pride for their community and a lifelong passion for learning. The support of our community enables us to provide these meaningful opportunities to students. We hope you will join us on this mission, allow us to keep up our momentum, and enable us to reach even more students.

Thank you,

Howard H. Hoege III
President and Chief Executive Officer