Pioneer program for fourth-graders

Do you have the heart of a pioneer?

That's not a bad question to ask a fourth-grader — a fourth-grader who may not know much about pioneers except that they came across the Plains in covered wagons; a fourth-grader whose time has come to learn more about the history of his state; a fourth-grader who still has a lot of time to decide who and what he wants to be.

To help find the answer to that question, Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts has developed an assembly program of pioneer music, stories, games and more, called "The Heart of a Pioneer," that it has been presenting to fourth grades throughout the state.

The program is co-sponsored by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers; This Is The Place Heritage Park; A.R.T.S. Inc; Clog America; Beck Leather and Crafts; and Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts and Parks.

When a school signs up for the program, a team of docents from DUP and This Is The Place visit in period costume to tell about the pioneers, show artifacts and help students prepare to participate in the assembly.

The students learn pioneer games and dances, they learn to play with pioneer toys, they can participate in a writing contest for poems about the pioneers, and they learn how to write a song to some familiar music.

On the day of the assembly, which usually involves the entire school, the band Willingly, comprised of Clive Romney, Lindsay Griffin, Dave Compton and Gary Vorhees, presents a program of song and story; the fourth-graders demonstrate the games and dances they have learned, a half-dozen or so winning poets read their works (and the winners get a free pass to This Is The Place) — and everyone has a great time.

"We were thrilled to have the program," says Julie Miller, principal at Wasatch Elementary, which recently hosted the assembly. "The program is interactive, exciting and experimental. That's the best way to learn."

And, she adds, all the material is taken directly from fourth-grade curriculum.

In its first year, the Heart of a Pioneer program has been performed in more than 30 schools, reaching more than 17,000 students. (The charge for the program is $175, which helps defray the cost of materials and travel and includes a CD of the songs as well as a packet of materials. For more information, call 801-924-7534 or go to thisistheplace.org or dupinternational.org.)

At the assembly, Willingly sings about such things as Brigham Young's meeting with Jim Bridger; "Diggin' in the Dirt," using a hoe and shovel for musical instruments; irrigation; the small amounts a handcart pioneer could bring; interacting with native cultures; and where exactly Utah is on the map.

"It's the funnest thing I've ever done," says Vorhees. "But it also has a real impact on the students. It's genius, the way they are involved."