Katie Gorka, Executive Director of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, visited The Founders Academy in Manchester, New Hampshire on Mar. 10 as part of the Department of Education’s national History Rocks! Trail to Independence tour. The event is one of several initiatives marking America’s upcoming 250th birthday and aims to strengthen civic literacy among students.
The tour seeks to help students connect personally with America’s founding principles such as liberty, self-government, and civic responsibility. More than 300 high school students participated in interactive games focused on American history and civics, with a special emphasis on New Hampshire's role in the nation's development. The program included remarks from Dean Cassie Hayes of The Founders Academy, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais, historian Kristy Ellsworth from the Manchester Historical Society and Millyard Museum, and Katie Gorka.
“New Hampshire holds a unique place in America’s civic story, from its early leadership in the fight for independence to its enduring tradition of active citizenship,” said Katie Gorka. “Through the History Rocks! tour, we want students to see that the ideas that shaped our nation – liberty, self-government, and civic responsibility – are not just lessons in a textbook. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, it’s exciting to see students here in Manchester engage with our history and recognize how they will carry those founding principles forward.”
The History Rocks! initiative is part of broader efforts by the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate America's Semiquincentennial. In partnership with Freedom 250 and coordinated with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, Secretary McMahon and other officials plan visits to schools across all fifty states to highlight quality history and civics instruction.
Freedom 250 leads presidential programming for the nation’s anniversary celebration with a mission focused on honoring American history and freedoms while looking ahead to future opportunities. The America 250 Civics Education Coalition includes organizations such as the America First Policy Institute, Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College, and over fifty other groups dedicated to advancing civic education nationwide.
