You are invited to participate in a brainstorming session for middle and high school teachers on Wednesday, May 21st from 4:30-6:30pm here at the New-York Historical Society in preparation for the arrival of an exciting historic "tall ship", The Hermione, that will be docked in NYC over July 4th weekend, 2015.

The Hermione is an authentic, hand-crafted replica of the French frigate that brought General Gilbert de Lafayette along with French troops to General Washington in 1780, in a voyage that became a turning point in the winning of the American Revolution. Did you know that Lafayette was only 19 years old when he returned to aid George Washington? He was the "teen hero" of the American Revolution!

The Hermione will once again sail across the Atlantic in 2015 and travel up the eastern seaboard, stopping in New York. We are preparing a special exhibit on Lafayette as well as a teen-curated exhibit on Governor's Island in summer, 2015 focusing on the American Revolution which will include Lafayette's Hermione Voyage 2015

We are working with the US organizers of Hermione Voyage 2015 to help them create a meaningful education program about Lafayette and the historic role of the French in the American Revolution. We need the advice of teachers of social studies, history and French, on how best to teach the contribution of Lafayette to the ideas of freedom, national self-determination, citizen education, human and civil rights. We also welcome math and science colleagues since the authentically reconstructed 18th century ship is a sailing laboratory for STEM topics.

Please RSVP to the attention of sharon.dunn@nyhistory.org. Refreshments will be served and you will receive a free field trip for your class for attending.