KNOXVILLE—Leading up to the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017, eighteen Fulton High School students and two teachers spent a weekend exploring the Smokies during a special program with Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
For many students, the experience was full of firsts – campfires, shooting stars, seeing the Milky Way, hiking, and being away from Knoxville and home.
“To think about how new this place and these experiences were for them, and then to see them lighting up minds and hearts of both children and adults during the eclipse event, was truly amazing. I have never seen a more moving example of the power of place and intentional experiences,” said Caleb Carlton, Tremont Manager of Innovation and Assessment and Eclipse Program Leader.
While at Tremont Institute, students learned how to facilitate several educational activities related to the eclipse, and how to engage and present for public audiences. On the day of the eclipse, the students became ambassadors for the National Park Service, staffing several educational booths at the free public event in Cades Cove.
National Park Staff and the public were astounded by the students’ professionalism and ability to positively impact approximately 1,000 members of the public they engaged.
The National Park Service and Tremont Institute would like to formally honor and thank the students and the Fulton High School community for their service and impact on the public during a very special eclipse experience in Cades Cove.
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing in-depth experiences through education programs that celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, foster stewardship, and nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tremont welcomes all ages to step away from their daily routine to learn, reflect and grow while living in the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 25, 2017
