A is for Amish.
B is for Betsy Ross.
C is for caves and coal mines.
Ahead of the nation's 250th birthday, Pennsylvania students are learning about the state’s history.
More than a dozen community leaders and state police troopers read the book “K is for Keystone” at the Penn-Kidder campus of the Jim Thorpe Area School District on Wednesday. The event was part of the Keystone Classroom Initiative of America250PA.
The upcoming semiquincentennial is the perfect opportunity to recognize the state’s role in forming a new nation, said Victoria Rogers, director of partnerships with America250PA.
“Pennsylvania is where it all started. You know, we are the Keystone State,” she said. “And we want to come back and rejuvenate our youth, kindergarten through fourth grade, and get them excited for the celebration and 2026.”
Herc, the Jim Thorpe school mascot, and the cougar from Misericordia University, distributed bags containing a t-shirt, Crayola crayons and other Pennsylvania-made products to each student.
The opportunity excited Holly Mordaunt, principal of the Penn-Kidder campus.
“I hope they learn about the state of Pennsylvania,” she said. “Many of our students move from other places. And I'd like them to learn about the state they live in now. And I hope they realize how special Pennsylvania is.”
Kristen Griffiths, a senior from Wyoming Valley West, wore her Miss Moraine State Teen crown as she read to students.
Schools interested in hosting an event in the fall can visit the America250PA website this spring to apply. Organizers plan to reach more than 50,000 students by July 4, 2026.
