Thousands of Jackson County children to receive 'passports' - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Thousands of Jackson County children to receive 'passports'

Posted: Updated:
By Trang Pham-Bui - bio | email
Jackson County celebrates its 200th birthday this year and county leaders want children to join in the fun. Jackson County celebrates its 200th birthday this year and county leaders want children to join in the fun.
Each fourth grader in the county will receive a passport booklet.Each fourth grader in the county will receive a passport booklet. Inside are 18 historical sites and other landmarks in Jackson County and its cities. Each fourth grader in the county will receive a passport booklet.Each fourth grader in the county will receive a passport booklet. Inside are 18 historical sites and other landmarks in Jackson County and its cities.
More than 100 fourth graders sat patiently in the Jackson County Courthouse as county leaders challenged them to go on an adventure. They will be going on a scavenger hunt for information about their county's past. More than 100 fourth graders sat patiently in the Jackson County Courthouse as county leaders challenged them to go on an adventure. They will be going on a scavenger hunt for information about their county's past.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Friday, May 17 2013 11:04 PM EDT2013-05-18 03:04:19 GMT
    It is the end of an era for one Biloxi elementary school. A long-time PE teacher is retiring at the end of the month. And when he leaves, so will a popular tradition he started three decades ago.
    It is the end of an era for one Biloxi elementary school. A long-time PE teacher is retiring at the end of the month. And when he leaves, so will a popular tradition he started at the school three decades ago. Thousands of students consider him the "coolest" teacher around.

  • Monday, May 13 2013 12:24 PM EDT2013-05-13 16:24:04 GMT
    MARION COUNTY, MS (WDAM) - A weekend-long drug raid left 22 individuals behind bars, and more arrests to come. According to Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall, the drug raid is the result of several
    A weekend-long drug raid left 22 individuals behind bars, and more arrests to come.

  • A college student in suburban Atlanta is accused of faking his own kidnapping to avoid telling his parents he was failing a class.
    A college student in suburban Atlanta is accused of faking his own kidnapping to avoid telling his parents he was failing a class.
    •   
PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -

Jackson County celebrates its 200th birthday this year and county leaders want children to join in the fun. On Thursday, county leaders handed out passports to dozens of students and invited them to go on a journey. They want students across Jackson County to take a trip back in time.

More than 100 fourth graders sat patiently in the Jackson County Courthouse as county leaders challenged them to go on an adventure. They will be going on a scavenger hunt for information about their county's past.

To celebrate the county's bicentennial this year, Jackson County leaders kicked-off the "Passport through Jackson County" campaign.      

"We just wanted to find a way to bring the kids into it and get them interested in our history," said Nicole Grundel, Jackson County Spokesperson. "Some kids don't even realize how big our county is and what's included in our county let alone history of it."

Each fourth grader in the county will receive a passport booklet. Inside are 18 historical sites and other landmarks in Jackson County and its cities.

While some sites may sound familiar, there are places the children may not know exist, like the G.I. Museum in Gautier. Their first stop Thursday was the Jackson County Courthouse. As they travel to each site in the coming months, the students will create a pencil rubbing of a plaque posted at each location.

"That will show us that you actually visited the sites," said Grundel.

"It's neat, because our county has a lot of history," said Latwain Sims from East Park Lower Elementary School.

"You get to learn about all kinds of stuff like Moss Point, Pascagoula, and Gautier," said Summer Eubanks of Central Elementary School.

When asked why people should visit Jackson County, Michael Trumbaturi of East Central Upper Elementary replied, "Because we're a cool county."

And that's the goal of this journey, to help children discover and appreciate the people and places that shape Jackson County.

"I think it's important for everyone to kind of know some of their history of how their area was established, how it became what it is," said Grundel. "It's not about the past, it's about our future too.  They can take from that and what they can do in the future to improve things."

About 4,000 passbook booklets will be given out to Jackson County fourth graders. Students who visit 12 or more sites will receive a special certificate. All passports must be turned in by November 15th.

Any student in grades K-12 in Jackson County can participate by going online to print their own Passport Through Jackson County. Just visit http://www.JacksonCounty200.com.

Copyright 2012 WLOX. All rights reserved.