Baltimore area students learn about area's history at Fort McHenry's "Explore Day"

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore came to life on Thursday, booming with the sounds of fifes and drums, as hundreds of students watched.

Fort McHenry and the Baltimore Historic Heritage Area hosted "Explore Day" on Thursday, with support from the National Park Foundation.

The free one-day event invited students from Baltimore City and Harford County to explore and learn about everything you could learn in Maryland.

Shannon McLucas, a park ranger at Fort McHenry, said students met several park partners, including the Carrie Murray Nature Center, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, the Pride of Baltimore, the Star Spangled Banner House, and more.

McLucas said "Explore Day" opened up a new world for the students, allowing them to learn about history in their backyard.

"As a Marylander, I enjoy welcoming people to our state from all over the world," McLucas said. "And for students, welcoming kids here, when you give them their first experience of a national park, that 'wow factor,' when they recognize how much there is to explore in Maryland."

McLucas added, "And then sometimes maybe history isn't their scene, but science is. And when you talk about what lives in the bay, and how we can keep it clean, and how we can look after our public lands, you spark fascination with kids as early as you can. Hopefully, they'll continue throughout their whole life to explore."

McLucas said the students learned about the maritime history of Baltimore and the science of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as all the history Fort McHenry has to offer. They were also given the opportunity to paint, giving them a way to express what they learned through art.

"One of the things we've been able to do, and I've been doing this for 16 years now, is we've been able to introduce students to the kind of richness that is here in Baltimore," McLucas said.  "Any kid that's come to Fort McHenry for the first time, this is their first experience in a National Park."

With the support of the National Park Foundation, the children were given park passes for the next year so they can go to any national park they want, in the hopes that it will encourage them to keep exploring.