WILLIAMSBURG
The local media news recently has focused on much breaking news from Colonial Williamsburg. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation had announced that it would be eliminating jobs and outsourcing work of four departments. Visitors to the historic city have reportedly decreased, and the foundation has been seeking ways of dealing with the recovery from the financial situation.

But amidst all of that, top officials at Colonial Williamsburg went all out to make special arrangements for a group of youth from the Franklin Summer Super Jam Program to be able to visit the nearby national attraction. A group of staff of the foundation lead by Stephen Seals, senior manager of the African-American History Program, began meeting in May to discuss plans for the visit of the youth to Colonial Williamsburg. Among that staff of officials, Tab Broyles, director of Teacher Professional Development, continued the plans and directly coordinated the events of the visit.he local media news recently has focused on much breaking news from Colonial Williamsburg. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation had announced that it would be eliminating jobs and outsourcing work of four departments. Visitors to the historic city have reportedly decreased, and the foundation has been seeking ways of dealing with the recovery from the financial situation.

As a result of that planning, on Friday a group of about 55 staff and youth of the Franklin Summer Super Jam program boarded a charter bus to travel to Williamsburg on an educational trip to learn much about the past life of the early days of our country. The organizers of the trip divided the youth into three age groups that would allow them to focus on the learning experience on their levels. During the visit, the groups separately led by a Colonial Williamsburg interpreter toured sites such as the Capitol building, a blacksmith shop, a shoemaker shop, a courthouse and a gun magazine storage building.

All groups spent the morning hours touring in the Colonial District and were able to return to the visitor’s center to eat a bag lunch. After lunch, time was allotted for the youth to spend time at the visitor’s center for additional food items and souvenirs. Colonial Williamsburg further gave each youth and staff a gingerbread cake that provided them the taste of colonial cooking of that time.

The groups returned back to the Colonial District to continue their tour. During the afternoon tour a highlight was to tour a replica of the earliest independent black church in America and the first to be organized and run by blacks, the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg.

The last site that the youth visited was the Governor’s Palace. Many of the youth were amazed at the displays of weapons as swords and guns that were mounted on the walls in key areas of the home. It was noted by the interpreters that this was done to create fear to visitors about the power of the governor.

Upon the completion of the tour of the palace, all groups assembled in an area where there was some drumming, and the youth, staff and interpreters all participated in a traditional African ring dance routine. After this was completed, all boarded the bus for the return trip back to Franklin.

The Franklin Summer Super Jam program is sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Virginia and the Franklin Department of Parks & Recreation.