Historic Webcast Reaches More Than One Million Students Around the World

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, more than one million students in classrooms and homes around the world logged onto "Jamestown Live!," a one-hour educational webcast presented by Jamestown 2007, the organizers of America's 400th Anniversary. PBS senior correspondent Gwen Ifill hosted the America's 400th Anniversary signature event, which told the story of the nation's birthplace Jamestown, Va.

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Student reporters aged 10 - 17 joined Ms. Ifill in interviewing featured experts about the ways that Jamestown's enduring legacies of representative government, the convergence of European, Native American and African cultures, and exploration have shaped our country and our society. Experts included Dr. James Horn, author of the best-selling "A Land as God Made It: Jamestown and the Birth of America"; Stephen Adkins, Chief of Virginia's Chickahominy Indian Tribe; Dr. William Kelso, director of archaeology at Historic Jamestowne; Dr. Rex Ellis, vice president of the Historic Area at Colonial Williamsburg and co-chair of the Jamestown 2007 African American Advisory Council; Captain Eric Speth, maritime programs manager for the Jamestown Settlement living-history museum; and Kathryn Thornton, former NASA astronaut.

In addition to the student reporters, 53 student ambassadors traveled to Jamestown from cities across the country to participate in this historic event. Student ambassadors were selected based on their participation in the 2006 National History Day contest, which required the submission of an in- depth historical research project. The student ambassadors took part in the "Flags Coming Home Procession," where the students symbolically brought their state flags "back home" to Jamestown.

"'Jamestown Live!' provided a tangible way for students to connect with the founding of the nation and understand Jamestown's pivotal role in American history," said Jamestown 2007 Executive Director Jeanne Zeidler. "As we commemorate America's 400th Anniversary it is important for our nation's future leaders to learn about our country's origins and the continued significance of Jamestown's legacies of representative government, cultural diversity and exploration to our society."

An archived version of the webcast is available at http://www.jamestownjourney.org/ from Nov. 10, 2006 - Feb. 10, 2007. Additionally, the webcast will be broadcast on the History Channel in January 2007. Teachers can enhance students participation in "Jamestown Live!" through more than 70 free history, social studies, and civics lesson plans that are available at http://www.jamestownjourney.org/. Compiled by the University of Virginia Center for Politics, these comprehensive lesson plans align with educational standards.

"Jamestown Live!" is one of 10 signature events and hundreds of other community projects commemorating America's 400th Anniversary. Visit http://www.americas400thanniversary.com/ for detailed information.

"Jamestown Live!" media partners include The History Channel and Time for Kids. Education partners and endorsing organizations include the U.S. Department of Education, the National Council for Social Studies, the National Education Association, NASA, National History Day, the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Education Association, the University of Virginia Center for Politics, Virginia PTA, the Jamestown 2007 African American and Virginia Indian Advisory Councils, Jamestown 400th Commemoration Commission, Colonial Williamsburg, Historic Jamestowne and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

Jamestown 2007, a sub-agency of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, is coordinating events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Va., the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. Jamestown is where the nation's traditions of representative government, free enterprise and multi-cultural society were established. State, national, and international commemorative events to salute these legacies began in May 2006 and continue into 2008. Major corporate sponsors of America's 400th Anniversary include Norfolk Southern Corporation , The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Verizon . Other supporters include Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , AirTran Airways , Dominion, James City County, Philip Morris USA, SunTrust, Wolseley PLC/Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. and TowneBank. More information about the commemoration is available at http://www.americas400thanniversary.com/.