NEWS RELEASE

Date:  August 13, 2007

RELEASE:  IMMEDIATE

SOURCE:  Ronnie O’Brien, Director of Operations

SUBJECT:       Archway Educators Receive National Award

Archway Re-enactors Recognized by the

National Oregon California Trails Association

Archway –  On August 10, 2007 The Great Platte River Road Archway re-enactors were the recipients of the 2007 Outstanding Educators Award from the National Oregon California Trails Asssociation (OCTA) during the 25th annual convention of the Oregon California Trails Association in Gering, NE.

              Two of the Archway’s re-enactors went to Gering, NE, to accept OCTA’s National Outstanding Educator’s Award which recognizes excellence in teaching about the westward overland migration.

The re-enactment program was developed in 2000, the year the Archway opened, and has been a staple program at the Archway since that time.  “Our re-enactors know each character from history and the character’s story inside out,” said Ronnie O’Brien, Director of Operations and Education Program Director.  Five different re-enactors tell ten different 15-minute stories known on a local or national level from the trails.  Dressed as the character, each re-enactor brings out the personality of the person they portray.

The Re-enactors

Sharon Von Ashwege portrays Eliza Donner and Virginia Reed, both of the Donner Party.

Del Peck portrays George Francis Train railroad promoter, and mountain man and trail guide James Baker.

 Steve Halbert portrays Frank North, commanding officer of Fort Kearny’s Pawnee Scouts, and John C. Fremont, the man who mapped the Oregon Trial.

Curly Ladd portrays Johnny Hodges, telling a local story from the Oregon Trail, and Pony Express rider Billy Campbell.

Ronnie O’Brien tells two stories of Ellen O’Brien, a local pioneer and family ancestor.

“The Archway is well deserved of this prestigious trails award,” said William E. Hill, trails author and award presenter during the national convention.  After reading several of the Archway’s nomination letters at the conference, Hill said, “I used to be a teacher myself.  You know a program is of the highest standard when teachers bring more and more students and more and more classes for it every year.”

For more information about this or other educational programming at the Great Platte River Road Archway, contact (308)237-1000.

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About the Great Platte River Road Archway:  The Archway focuses on preserving, educating, and celebrating the transcontinental visionaries of the past, present and future.  An interactive exhibit, the Archway celebrates the only location in the country where the Oregon, Mormon and California Trails converged.  Completed in June of 2000, the non-profit monument prominently spans I-80 in Kearney, Nebraska.  The Great Platte River Road Archway was envisioned and founded by the late Nebraska Governor Frank B. Morrison.