Highlands High School alumna and substitute teacher Amy Leigh is working with Intro to Journalism students to display and tell the stories of donated artifacts, which have some sort of connection to Highlands or the Fort Thomas area.
Bill Waddell, Highlands Alumni in the class of 1958, obtained the idea when observing a similar project in the Philadelphia International Airport. He then decided to organize a committee of his high school class and make this project happen by funding all the components.
The committee needed someone used to working with students, so when they contacted Highlands, the staff sent them to Leigh.
Leigh agreed to manage this project because of her love for Fort Thomas’ history and for each generation to claim and understand their history.
She expressed that the focal point is not of the objects, but how they tie into the history of Highlands.
“The main focus of Highlands stories is sharing the stories of Highlands students, it’s more than just displaying the artifacts.”
Leigh is also mentoring senior intern Braden Moeves on how to be a project manager. Being a project manager means acquiring the artifacts, communicating with the donors, and keeping track of the files through an archive system.
The archive system includes a spreadsheet containing the artifact, the era in which it was used made, and the information about the donor.
The alumni committee wants this project to be a gift to all Highlands students. So, students in Beth Brubaker’s Intro to Journalism class have been given the opportunity to help share these stories.
Her students interviewed the donors and other people who are significant to the story regarding their assigned artifact.
Journalism student, freshman Merary Valdez De Leon said: “I think it’s fun and cool. I liked working with my partner and learning the background of the artifact (the powder puff shirt).”
Once they are finished writing their stories, all of the artifacts, as well as a qr code with a link to the story on the Highlands Stories website, will be displayed in a glass case In the front of the HHS library.