Canton Whiz Kid: Team Revere’s Riders, Grade 5

Name: CmPS Team Revere’s Riders, Grade 5

School: JFK Elementary

Key to Awesomeness:  Powerfully "Trailing into Canton's Past"

Accomplishments: This Sunday, May 15, Theo Bollenbach, Ben Cohen, Bryan Healey and Aidas Jakubenas are “Trailing into Canton’s Past.” The creative is their latest project in their powerful mission to preserve and honor Canton’s history.

Melissa Healey said the event was inspired by”The Amazing Race” television show. The boys' historical tour of Canton is somewhat of a scavenger hunt. Visit sites like the and Blue Hill Observatory to answer questions in the boys’ booklet.

The four were bothered enough by the idea of Canton’s historical sights disappearing to form Revere’s Riders; JFK’s fifth grade CmPS team, and “Trailing into Canton’s Past” is just one of many powerhouse projects they have created.

Healey, along with Tom Bollenbach, are the volunteer parent coaches. Students “only learn about Canton’s history in third grade,” she said, so Revere’s Riders came up with the idea of creating a Canton History unit in older grades. "If you don’t repeat it, you don’t remember it,” they said. The group presented the concept to the Canton School Committee on May 12.

This school year, Revere’s Riders have also presented to the Board of Selectmen, created awareness by surveying and petitioning to name Paul Revere’s Barn and Rolling Mill to America’s Most Endangered Places in the United States, handed out memberships to , and hosted Author Night with

They are working on a color map to load onto school  “Virtual Backpacks” and the Canton Historical Society’s website, and are planning their second Author’s Night. 

Revere’s Riders coach Healey appreciates how Canton has supported them. "Mr. [Wally] Gibbs at Canton Historical Society has been so welcoming, Canton historian and author George Comeau has been generous with his time, knowledge and support, and the Canton Library provides space for Author’s Night," she said.

Congratulations! Revere’s Riders won first place in MA for Future Problem Solving Program International’s Junior Division, and they will travel to Wisconsin to participate in the 2011 International Conference this June.

Tour maps can be downloaded by clicking here.