Qwest Foundation Gives Grant to Crow Canyon Archaeological Center

January 12, 2005. Timely through March 1, 2005.
For more information, call 1-800-422-8975 ext. 127.

Cortez, Colorado
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center was recently awarded a generous grant from the Qwest Foundation, Qwest Communications’ giving program, in the amount of $24,531. The grant was used to support a comprehensive educational program for teachers and students from Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Through the grant, Crow Canyon was able to update educational materials available on the Web site and provide educators and students with a unique online resource devoted to the natural, historical, and cultural environments of Southwestern Colorado.

The Qwest Foundation's core principle is that investing in people and communities provides lasting value for the future. The Foundation awards grants that generate high impact and measurable results through community-based programs, focusing on K–12 education and economic development. Crow Canyon has been conducting archaeological research and public education programs since 1983. Approximately 2,500 fourth- through twelfth-grade students participate in the educational programs at the Center every year. Crow Canyon’s award-winning educational programs are designed to have a long-term impact and emphasize the dynamic between humans and the natural world.

"We believe in the education of children," says Carey Wirtzfeld, Director of the Qwest Foundation. "Our commitment to the quality of education is at the forefront of our beliefs, and Crow Canyon fits in with that model. Qwest is proud to be working with such a well-respected organization that shares many of our same beliefs."

The grant was used in several different areas of Crow Canyon’s educational programs. The Mesa Verde Region Education Project, the Pueblo Learning Center Curriculum Assessment, and the Mesa Verde Region-Woods Canyon Pueblo Lesson Plans are just a few of the projects that benefited from the generosity of the Qwest Foundation. Additionally, numerous updates to the Web site were made which allowed the education department to expand its reach beyond the Four Corners region and made educational materials available to the world.

A very unique project, the Community History Trunks, was made possible through the grant. The project is a collaborative effort involving teachers from local school districts, members of the community, and local history scholars. The goal of the project is to develop trunks containing historical objects and replicas. These objects will be used in conjunction with supplementary materials and teachers’ curricula. Through this project, students throughout the Four Corners will use the resources in the trunks to study local history from the perspectives of the Ute, Navajo, Hispanic, and Anglo people of the area.

"Students learn best when they are engaged and challenged. The Community History Trunksproject will allow students of all ages to learn about the history of the area that they call home in a unique and hands-on way," says Carey Wirtzfeld. "This is just the type of project that Qwest is proud to fund and we look forward to hearing about what the students thought of the trunks."

Crow Canyon appreciates the dedication of the Qwest Foundation to the education of children and is excited about the future of the programs that were developed through the grant. Both Crow Canyon and Qwest are focused on the future of education and to making our communities stronger and healthier.