Developed by the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, The Hope Trunk: An Offering of Positive Education provides educators a unique and meaningful classroom learning resource.

The Hope Trunk is a traveling exhibit that contains educational materials and memorial items from the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.  The trunk, which a school may use for two weeks, contains artifacts, visual materials, and classroom exercises that may be used as a stand alone unit or incorporated into core curriculum.  Shipping is provided courtesy of FedEx.

The Hope Trunk was developed to educate students about the impact of violence, the senselessness of using violence to effect change, and the importance of personal responsibility.  The trunk has been on exhibit at schools nationwide.  Many students viewing its artifacts were not alive when the Oklahoma City bombing occurred.  The traveling exhibit helps to ensure the messages of that event continue to have impact.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for Emergency Management (MACEM) at Frederick Community College (FCC) had the pleasure of featuring the Hope Trunk, as part of Dr. Brenda Phillips’ presentation on Human Response to Disaster at the 2016 Summer Institute.  The exhibit included a range of items such as children’s books;  The Daily Oklahoman Newspaper – April 20, 1995; public safety patches from across the Nation as a show of unity; and rubble from the site.  Each trunk also includes a ‘hope bear’ that was placed at the memorial.  Mr. Anthony Thomas, a Summer Institute participant and educator at Dorchester Career and Technology Center (DCTC), also utilized the Hope Trunk during a lesson on how memorials can help people recover from disaster.  DCTC and FCC are proud to be added to the growing list of “Hope Bear Schools.”

Let’s keep the trunk moving!

For more information about the Hope Trunk, please visit: https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/learn/education/hope-trunk/

To order a Hope Trunk for your school, please visit: https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/learn/education/hope-trunk-request/

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MACEM’s Hope Bear keeps an eye on the team.
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DCTC students explore artifacts and find hope.

Published by MACEM&PS

The Mid-Atlantic Center for Emergency Management & Public Safety Programs at Frederick Community College provides academic and career credentials, professional services, and community engagement in emerging high-intensity disciplines. It serves as a resource to connect, secure, and prepare both virtual and physical environments. Guided by the ideals of equity and justice, it provides education, training, and services to meet the challenges of developing a safe, prepared, and resilient community, state, and nation.

One thought on “The Hope Trunk: An Offering of Positive Education”

  1. A big thank you to Dr. Brenda Phillips for sharing an inspiring presentation and for introducing educators to this valuable, memorable teaching tool.

    Reply

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