Thanks to Sharon Graves…
BORA may hold state attendance mark
for its two-day living history program

The Battle of Richmond Association (BORA) may hold the Kentucky record for two-day attendance at a living history event for students.

A crowd of 1,255 attended BORA’s Living History program May 3-4 at Battlefield Park, breaking the attendance record set last year.

Fourth- and fifth-graders from 11 area schools were on hand for the event with attendance for May 3 recorded at 703 with 552 on hand the following day. The attendance broke the previous year’s record of 1,167.

Clark Moores Middle School teacher Sharon Graves has been coordinating the Living History program for BORA since 2004. Mrs. Graves recruits some 40 students from her Civil War social studies classes to help plan and coordinate the annual May event.

A combination of excellent programming and logistical planning has made the event a major hands-on learning experience about the Civil War for elementary schools in Central Kentucky. With her students, Mrs. Graves has developed a field-trip curriculum where participants can experience first-hand what happened during the Civil War from a military, social and economic standpoint.

The Living History program features Civil War activities and demonstrations that focus on such topics as period clothing and flags, stories about War-Between-the-States personalities, cooking, infantry drilling, agriculture and battlefield officers and commanders.

Through collaboration with BORA, Graves has grown participation in the Battle of Richmond’s Living History program from about 100 students 12 years ago to its current record total.

The Waco resident has taught early American history for 23 years, 22 of those at Clark Moores. Where Civil War history is concerned, Graves gives her students basic instructions about the war and each student picks a topic and activity that they research in the library during and after school.

 As Graves covers other history topics required by her curriculum, students continue their Civil War research throughout the year until they present their work at BORA’s Living History program each spring.

Students make their own period attire from donated fabrics, give guided tours to fourth- and fifth-grade students from other schools and conduct a number of living history demonstrations. Students also assist with BORA re-enactments and other activities that count toward 20 hours of community service required of each student in Graves’ class.

Early this year, Sharon was named to the Louie B. Nunn Teacher Hall of Fame for her outstanding contributions to the teaching profession. She has been cited particularly for her work in assisting young people in learning and understanding the importance and significance of Civil War history.

The Kentucky Hall of Fame induction is her fourth state honor as a teacher, having previously won the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Kentucky History Teacher of the Year in 2005, Kentucky Department of Education Teacher of Excellence in 2008 and the Kentucky Historical Society Award of Merit in 2009.

Graves is president-elect of BORA and will assume its presidency in 2013.