Preserving History, Empowering Students: The Bowman Valley Legacy Project

In this episode, Gina sits down with Bullitt East educators Trevor Swearingen and Fay Anderson to explore two powerful student projects that honored the history and legacy of the Bowman Valley School. Trevor shares how his Multicultural Club students used poetry, painting, and storytelling to illuminate the resilience of former Bowman Valley students—including members of his own family. Their work became a moving tribute to identity, perseverance, and the lived experiences of generations who came before them.Fay then takes us inside her $20,000 Impact Challenge, where business and marketing students stepped into the role of real-world consultants. Through historical research, community engagement, and digital marketing design, students developed proposals for how a $20,000 donation could be used to preserve the Bowman Valley legacy. Along the way, they built confidence, strengthened their communication skills, and discovered the power of using their voices to influence meaningful change.Together, Trevor and Fay reflect on student agency, cultural relevance, and the transformative impact of connecting local history to authentic learning. Their stories highlight what becomes possible when students are invited to engage with the past, honor their community, and create work that matters.To learn more about this project, check out my post, Stories From the Field: Seedling #4.If you are a Bullitt County educator who would like to bring a project like this to your classroom, explore the Seed Starter: Seedling #4 on the Authentic Learning Connection website. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gweber.substack.com