Author: Patrice Wade
History You Can Touch
For too long, the history, culture, and natural wonders of this state have been waiting quietly, hidden in plain sight. The truth is that North Carolina holds some of the greatest treasures in the country. I’ve recently learned about some of the ways the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) is creating spaces that share these treasures, tell the stories of this state, honor its past, and provide experiences that change the way students see the place they call home. As an educator and a DNCR Teacher Ambassador, I have had the privilege of watching educational adventures connected to our state unfold, and hands-on learning with DNCR resonates in a way that no textbook can ever replicate.
History should never feel distant. It should never feel like something that only exists in books or lectures. It should be something students can see, touch, and experience, even if it is through the stories their teacher brings back to them.
That happened when I visited North Carolina Freedom Park in Raleigh, a one-acre space in downtown Raleigh’s Capital Area dedicated to honoring the spirit of the African American struggle for freedom in North Carolina. It is managed by DNCR’s African American Heritage Commission.
Standing in that space during my first meeting with the DNCR Teacher Ambassadors, surrounded by powerful words carved into stone, I was not just reading about the Black struggle for freedom and liberty. I was standing in it. I was feeling it. I carried that experience back to my students. I told them about the voices honored in that space, about the fight for justice and equality, and about the sacrifices that shaped their present.
I watched as they sat quietly, letting the weight of it all settle in. Then one of them looked at me and said,
"This is real, right?"
It was real. It is real.
That moment was a student connecting to their learning. That moment was history coming alive, through the simple power of connection.
Art That Speaks
Many students believe that art is for someone else. They believe it belongs to people from a different world than their own.
Then I visited DNCR’s North Carolina Museum of Art, and I knew I had to bring that experience back to my classroom.
I stood in front of portraits that looked like my students and I, sculptures that told stories they had never heard, and paintings that captured emotions they did not know how to name. I took photos, wrote notes, and returned to my classroom determined to share what I had seen.
“What do you see,” I asked.
One student, who rarely spoke up in class, studied an image I shared with them. After a long pause, they looked at me and said:
"I see me."
That is the power of art. That is the power of being seen, even from a distance.
As a DNCR Teacher Ambassador, I have walked the halls of museums that hold history in their walls. I have stood in spaces where freedom was fought for. I have experienced the beauty of art and the wonder of science in ways that changed me.
And yet, so many people do not know all of these inspirational stories our state has to offer.
I want every child to experience what I did. Every child in this state deserves to experience what it feels like to stand where history happened, to see themselves in art, to walk through the pages of history, and to engage with the natural world in a way that sparks curiosity and wonder. Even if they cannot go today, they should know that these places are here for them, waiting for the moment they can step inside and see it all for themselves.
This is why DNCR matters. This is why these resources must be shared, celebrated, and used. Because learning does not happen in isolation. It happens in the places where stories are told, where voices echo, and where students can stand and say, "I see me."
To my fellow educators, utilize the resources DNCR offers us. Take your students, even if it is just through the stories you tell. Show them what North Carolina has to offer. Let them stand in history, even if it is through your words. Let them see themselves in art, even if it is through a picture. Let them experience the science that surrounds them every day, even if it is through a lesson inspired by a place they have not yet been.
To parents, bring your children when you can. Let them walk through these spaces. Let them ask questions. Let them wonder.
And to every student who has ever felt disconnected from learning, these places are for you. These stories are yours. You belong here.
North Carolina’s story is one worth telling. DNCR is making sure it is heard. Now, it is time for all of us to listen.
About the Author
Patrice Wade is the Director of Technology at Guilford Preparatory Academy and a 2025 DNCR Teacher Ambassador. Patrice is a proud NC Teaching Fellow pursuing her Masters in Education to further deepen her impact in the field and help change students lives. In her work, she inspires a new generation as a trailblazer to help shatter barriers, redefine possibility, and build futures that know no limits
Patrice's Recommended Resources
K-12 public schools can visit any of DNCR’s 100+ sites for FREE! Through the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund, schools can be reimbursed for field trip costs including travel (fuel, driver fees, charter rental, etc.), admission costs, substitute teacher fees, meals for students who cannot afford it, etc. Visit our website and apply today!
NCMA Learn - an educational resource from the North Carolina Museum of Art designed for educators, students, and anyone interested in looking at and learning from works of art.
"My NC from A to Z" - This colorful, sturdy board book celebrates pride of place, creates connections to North Carolina's rich African American heritage, and teaches children about human equality and social justice.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum and State Historic Site - The museum links Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown and Palmer Memorial Institute to the larger themes of African American history, women's history, social history, and education, emphasizing the contributions African Americans made in North Carolina.
NC Freedom Park Lesson Plans - a collaborative effort between Carolina K12, NCDNCR, NC African American Heritage Commission, and NC Freedom Park.