Released: March 6, 2024
County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor, Council Vice Chair Richard Womack, and Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer visit students as part of the America250PA’s Keystone Classroom Initiative
Delaware County Council was excited to join representatives of America250, including America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman, America250PADelco Director Andrea Silva, elected officials including PA State Rep. and Speaker of the House Joanna E. McClinton, State Rep. Carol Kazeem, and State Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Teen Miss Luzerne County 2024 Maille McNicholas, and Rosemont College’s mascot Renny the Raven at Park Lane Elementary School in Darby this week as part of America250PA’s Keystone Classroom Initiative.
The Keystone Classroom Initiative, a dynamic storytelling and visitation program, engages pre-K through fourth grade classrooms, children's hospitals, and youth camps across the Commonwealth, by bringing together historical reenactors, storytellers, local celebrities, and elected officials to educate young minds about our shared Pennsylvania history and the pivotal contributions of our state to the broader story of our nation.
During the visit, County Council Members read the book “K is for Keystone: A Pennsylvania Alphabet Book” by Kristen Kane, with illustrations by Laura Knorr, which explores a wide variety of unique Pennsylvania landmarks and historical highlights, such as Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, Gettysburg, Ben Franklin's inventions, the Liberty Bell, and more. Over 200 Kindergarten through 4th Grade students received fun gifts from America250PA, including a T-shirt, pencil, an originally designed Pennsylvania coloring book, and other fun historical gifts—as well as high fives from Renny the Raven.
“America250PA is so excited to continue the Keystone Classroom Initiative today in Delaware County, to engage our next generation of Pennsylvanians of all ages,” said Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of America250PA. “This program will allow us to visit with over 50,000 Pennsylvania students all across this Commonwealth by July 4, 2026, when this historic anniversary rolls around,” she continued.
“We're not just teaching history; we're sparking curiosity and pride in the hearts of future generations,” said America250PADelco Director Andrea Silva. “We’re looking forward to the next two-plus years as we build up to the big birthday, and we love seeing kids excited about history and the people who have advanced our rights and liberty as Americans.”
Thank you to America250PA, Executive Director Coleman, Director Silva, Park Lane Elementary School Principal Audrey Fields and the students at Park Lane Elementary School for a wonderful morning!
More about America250PADelco
For more information about local activities and plans for America’s 250th Birthday coming up on July 4, 2026—also known by the pronunciation-challenging term “United States Semiquincentennial”—visit the America250PADelco website at www.america250padelco.org. The website will provide news and information, including upcoming events of interest to young and old alike. Residents can also sign-up for the America250PA Delco contact list to ensure that they are notified of upcoming activities and opportunities to volunteer and become part of this epic celebration.