Community is the Classroom in New 'Edu-Tourism' Program

THURSTON COUNTY, Wash., Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- School is not the same this fall. Remote learning has parents and caretakers seeking resources for educational entertainment. In Washington state, this new reality inspired a program that brings in-person and virtual education to the community.

"Taking School on the Road" offers book lists, videos and itineraries in monthly themes from natural history to food systems to physical education.

Experience Olympia & Beyond, the destination marketing organization for Thurston County, is partnering with local bookstores, attractions, food and beverage outlets and others in the Road School program.

"Hands-on learning is a nice break from the Zoom calls and screen time we're all too familiar with," said Shauna Stewart, CEO, Experience Olympia & Beyond. "Road School is a fun way to experience and better understand the outstanding places in our community."

The Road School program has three main elements—Read, Watch and Go.

• Read: Local bookstores' recommended reading for children and adults.
• Watch: Videos feature experts demonstrating processes or providing insights to local attractions.
• Go: Detailed itineraries help families and visitors experience the month's theme in the community.

Each monthly theme also includes a downloadable coloring page.

Initial Road School topics include natural history, food systems, art and culture, and physical education.

For example, October's focus on natural history (fish and birds) includes books about salmon, a video about a local park's saltwater intertidal zone, and the best places for birdwatching.

The edu-tourism effort isn't just for families with kids. Adults will have a deeper appreciation for their favorite coffee or local public art after seeing videos or reading books about them.

Road School information lives on the Experience Olympia website. Curricula in the coming months will be available for future discovery.

"Our hope is this program will encourage students of all ages to love learning while making meaningful memories in the area. Fun and real life experiences are some of the best ways to do both," Stewart said.

About Experience Olympia & Beyond: The official destination marketing organization for Thurston County. Learn more at ExperienceOlympia.com.

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SOURCE Experience Olympia & Beyond