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= = =** Howe High School Places 2nd in the 2010 KC3 Returning High School Division! **= Meet the Real Martha Washington ===Broadcast Journalism students from Howe Public Schools will lead students from other schools on journey back in time to meet the real Martha Washington. ===

=== Howe students will use their reporting skills to conduct interviews with Martha Washington during three different time periods of her life. Martha Dandridge Custis Washington has often been lost in the shadows of her husband, General George Washington. She is considered a real mystery in the eyes of most people, a mystery the Howe Broadcast Team is determined to unravel. You are invited along for this special program with special guest, Mount Vernon's very own historical interpreter, Mary Wiseman. ===

=== Meet the young, widowed Martha, (portrayed by Howe Freshman, Brooke Vandever) whose husband, Daniel Parke Custis, died of an illness, leaving Martha with two young children to raise. The courageous Valley Forge Martha, (portrayed by Jan McClaren) who risked her own life by assuming the public role as a symbol of the patriot cause. Martha wasn't only courageous during Valley Forge, but she was also thoughtful and generous. She participated in a woman's fund-raising campaign to support the troops. Lastly, meet the first, First Lady Martha, portrayed by Mary Wiseman. During this time, Martha was faced with new challenges when her ===

=== husband was elected President. She was pulled away from her peaceful domestic existence and given new responsibilities such as being responsible for managing the presidential home, and also supervising the domestic affairs at Mount Vernon from a distance. While being the First Lady, she maintained her cheerful, calm and dignified posture, but how did she really feel about her new life? Join our broadcast team for an intimate look into the real life of Martha Washington. ===

[[image:gen-1.jpg width="453" height="345" align="right" caption="Howe students pose with Willie Lee and Dr. Craik."]]
===The participating school will also receive a beautifully-framed replica of Rembrandt Peale's Porthole Portrait of George Washington. Accompanying the portrait will be a George Washington Celebration Kit with suggested activities to commemorate the dedication of the portrait, as well as suggested lesson plans for classroom use. The picture is provided by George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Prior to the virtual field trip, participating students will have access to a wiki specifically designed for this topic. This learning community is developed using WikiSpaces. In addition to the wide-variety of resources available to both teacher and student in the Wiki, a hands-on activity will be mailed to the remote school in advance for participating students to use during our live presentation. ===

=== Nine of Mrs. Tammy Parks' broadcast journalism students traveled to George Washington's home, Mount Vernon during June of 2009 and presented a live video conference form the front lawn of the estate. During their three day stay in the VIP guest quarters of Mount Vernon, the love for all things George and Martha grew. As a direct result of their interest in this topic and the fact that Oklahoma is the only state with a George Washington Global Teaching Ambassador, the Howe student team decided to partner with Jan McClaren, Crsytal McCliggott, Mary Wiseman, and the educational team at Mount Vernon to provide this amazing student-created virtual field trip experience. ===