‘Design & The Olympic Games’ to Support Educational Programs by Connecting the Olympics with Other Fields of Study‎

The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) announces the launch of the Live Virtual Field Trip program at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, commencing with the first course of study entitled “Design & the Olympic Games,” which will be available starting Friday, May 26. This new program provides engaging interactive lessons to students in third through eighth grades, bringing the excitement and wonder of the Olympics and the Winter Games into classrooms everywhere.

The Olympic Museum received a $5,000 grant through a partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Museum Association of New York (MANY) to fund this initiative, and has worked with K12 Education Consultant and Strategist Jennifer Hesseltine to develop the programming. The virtual field trips are free for schools in New York State and just $50 per session for out-of-state schools.

“This new, innovative program provides teachers with an opportunity to meet the New York State Education Department (NYSED) learning standards in a variety of content areas by making authentic connections between the Winter Olympic Games and science, math, ELA, social studies, the arts, physical education, and other content area curriculum,” Hesseltine said. “I recommend using live virtual field trip programs to enrich school-day learning experiences, provide a springboard for learning new content and skills, and to make classroom content visible to students through authentic connections to real-world and community happenings.”

Through video conferencing, guided by a Lake Placid Olympic Museum staff member from within the newly renovated state-of-the-art museum, students will dive deep into analyzing primary sources, artifacts, posters, and photographs to explore the multitude of facets that make the Olympics and the Winter Games so special. The virtual field trips create live immersive and interactive experiences for the students. All sessions are designed to encourage student participation and include question-and-answer opportunities throughout.

Each program is approximately 40 to 45 minutes long and can accommodate one conventional-sized class of students at a time. Larger groups can also be accommodated. The immersive sessions will primarily take place through Google Meet or Zoom, but other platforms may also be utilized.

“This new education program will build awareness and broaden the reach of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum to youth audiences both within and outside of New York State,” Hesseltine said.

To support the Virtual Field Trip programs, downloadable resources will be provided, including an Olympic History Timeline, Lake Placid Olympic Museum Overview, and a Thinking Like a Designer Challenge. Also available will be a Teacher’s Guide and Classroom Activity for each program.

“We are excited to play an active role in continuing to spread the Olympic movement and its values to K through 12 schools across the nation,” Lake Placid Olympic Museum Collections Manager Julia Herman said. “This is just the first of many Live Virtual Field Trip programs to come as we continue to enrich the museum’s public offerings.”

The newly renovated Lake Placid Olympic Museum, located inside the Olympic Center at 2634 Main Street in Lake Placid, is home to the second-largest collection of Winter Olympic artifacts in North America. Originally established in 1974, the museum has grown and evolved over the years with a mission of telling “the world about the Olympic movement and Lake Placid’s rich winter sports history in order to promote the values of the Olympic Games to the broadest possible audience.” The Museum’s vision is to, “build and inspire an awareness for this and future generations through the stories of the Olympic Winter Games.”

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum reopened its doors on December 8, 2022 after undergoing a major renovation that resulted in a modernized space that includes interactive exhibits and innovative displays revealing the boundless spirit of Olympians and the Olympic Games.

For more information and to register a class, click here.