The "Linking Hispanic Heritage Through Archaeology" Program: Using National Parks to Engage Latino Youth With Their Cultural Heritage

Summary

The National Park Service-sponsored "Linking Hispanic Heritage Through Archaeology" (LHHTA) program was created in response to the NPS’s call to action to "fully represent our nation’s ethnically and culturally diverse communities".  The program, a collaboration between NPS, University of Arizona, and Environmental Education Exchange, connects Hispanic youth to their cultural history using regional archaeology as a bridge.  The LHHTA goals are to 1. increase awareness of National Parks within Hispanic communities; 2. engage Hispanic youth in their culture and history; 3. expose participants to career opportunities in cultural heritage and National Parks; and 4. involve youth in outdoor recreation at Parks.  LHHTA high school students and teachers visit eight National Parks, and other cultural heritage sites, participate in archaeological research, and explore their personal cultural histories through ancient and modern technologies.  The LHHTA is a model for public engagement and cultural heritage at National Parks for the next 100 years.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• National Park Service Archeology Outreach and Education at the Centennial   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 263