REDLANDS CONSERVANCY RECEIVES SAVE OUR HISTORY GRANT FROM HISTORY™
History and Timewarner Support Preservation Initiative That Links Redlands Conservancy,
Redlands High School, and Heritage Auxiliary of the Assistance League.

HISTORY™ today awarded the Redlands Conservancy in Redlands a $9,990 Save Our History grant to partner with Redlands High School and Heritage Auxiliary of the Assistance League for “The Zanja Connection” Project.  The Redlands Conservancy is one of eleven history organizations nationwide that received Save Our History community preservation grants.  These grants fund innovative preservation projects designed to bring communities together, actively engage children in the preservation of their local history, and communicate the importance of saving local history for future generations.
           
HISTORY™, with the counsel of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), created the Save Our History Grant Program as an extension of the Save Our History philanthropic initiative.  HISTORY™ is committed to inspiring and motivating local communities to learn about and take an active role in the preservation of their past through projects involving artifacts, oral histories, sites, museums, or landmarks that exist in their own neighborhoods.  In five years, 2,445 historic organizations, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia have applied for funding through the Save Our History Grant Program. 
           
The Zanja Connection Project is the first of many efforts by the Redlands Conservancy’s Save the Zanja Committee to, once and for all, preserve the historic 200-year-old irrigation ditch for the appreciation of future generations of Redlands’ residents and visitors. 
           
“This project connects Redlands’ young people with Redlands’ unique heritage,” said Redlands Conservancy Executive Director Sherli Leonard. 
           
The Save Our History Grant will fund the development of text for up to 30 historical markers at significant points along the Zanja, the creation of a “travel guide” style brochure about the Zanja, and the creation of Zanja history curriculum to be added to the Heritage Auxiliary program for Redlands Unified School District’s fourth graders.  According to Leonard, members of the Redlands Junior Historical Society, under the direction of Redlands High School teacher Tom Atchley, will research and develop the historical marker text, and will also create a Zanja history slide show for the fourth graders. 
           
“Ultimately, The Zanja Connection Project will connect more than 1,600 young people in the Redlands area with the fascinating history of this famous ditch in a highly interactive way,” said Leonard, who explained that the project timeline calls for completion by late spring, 2009.
           
In addition to this project, HISTORY is also awarding Save Our History grants to historic organizations in Florida, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
           
“HISTORY receives stacks of applications for Save Our History grants,” said Dr. Libby O’Connell, Senior Vice President, Corporate Outreach and Chief History, HISTORY.  “The Redlands Conservation demonstrated the creativity and commitment to preservation and education that we believe is fundamental to giving our past a bright future.  Building partnerships within the community is key to achieving long term preservation goals.”
           
Historic organizations interested in receiving funding for preservation projects developed with local schools or youth groups are encouraged to apply for a 2009/2010 Save Our History grant.  Applications will be available in January 2009, online at www.saveourhistory.com.

Background information
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an independent, nonprofit service that helps donors to create thoughtful, effective philanthropy throughout the world.  RPA provides research and counsel on charitable giving, develops philanthropic programs, and offers complete program, administrative and management services for foundations and trusts.  In 2006, RPA advised on and managed more than $150 million in annual giving in more than 30 countries.  For more information visit www.rockpa.org.

About AASLH
AASLH was born in 1904 as a part of the American Historical Association.  Over one hundred years later, AASLH is the only national association dedicated to the people and organizations that practice state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.  These history organizations are American leaders in preserving, researching, and interpreting traces of the past to connect the people, thoughts, and events of yesterday with the creative memories and abiding concerns of people, communities, and our nation today.  History organizations are foremost education institutions, and they excel in creating the enlightened, engaged citizenry that the founders envisioned.  From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides a variety of programs and services, as well as leadership in the national arena.

About Save Our History Educational Materials
HISTORY™, in collaboration with leading educators from the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), developed a comprehensive Educator’s Manual containing standards-based lesson plans, enrichment activities, and resources that help elementary, middle and high school teachers connect American History content to their local history.  The manual guides teachers to engage students in hands-on, experiential preservation projects.  The Educator’s Manual is supplemented by Save Our History lesson plans available to educators who register online to receive them at www.saveourhistory.com.  To date, more than 60,000 educators at schools, youth groups, history museums, and historic sites have used the educational materials to teach over 1.8 million students about their local history and the importance of preserving it.

About Save Our History
Save Our History is an Emmy® Award-winning strategic initiative of HISTORY™ that launched in 1998, designed to further historic preservation and history education.  The program supplements the teaching of history in America’s classrooms, educates the public on the importance of historical preservation and motivates communities across the country to help save endangered local historic treasures.  The Save Our History campaign includes original documentaries, special teacher materials, national promotion on HISTORY™, broadband activities in schools, and has worked with The Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National World War II Memorial, American Rivers, and The White House 200th Anniversary.
Additional information about the grassroots Save Our History program, including a comprehensive school manual containing suggested lesson plans for grades two through 12 and details about working with local preservation organizations can also be found at www.saveourhistory.com. 

History™and History HD™ are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms.  Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture.  Among the networks’ program offerings are hit series such as Ax Men, Battle 360, The Universe, Cities of The Underworld and Ice Road Truckers, as well as acclaimed specials including King, Life After People, 1968 With Tom Brokaw, Lost book of Nostradamus, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and  Sherman’s March.  History has earned four Peabody Awards, three Primetime Emmy® Awards, 10 News and Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the prestigious Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the network’s Save Our History® campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education.  Take A Veteran to School Day is the network’s latest initiative connecting America’s schools and communities with veterans from all wars.  History’s Web site, located at www.History.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games, podcasts and more.