Local Students Help Preserve and Share the Story of Amache
Granada High School Class Connects Youth to History, Community and Destination Stewardship
On the plains of southeast Colorado, students from Granada High School are helping to preserve and interpret the history of the Amache National Historic Site, where over 10,000 Japanese Americans—most of them U.S. citizens—passed through a confinement camp during World War II. Through a unique three-year elective course, students research Amache’s past, design museum exhibits, manage operations at the Amache Museum, and much more.
This innovative program reflects a key strategy of the Regional Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan for the Pioneering Plains, which encourages revitalizing museums as vital tourism assets and fostering community partnerships to sustain them.
Creating a Living History Experience
The program began in 1993, a year before Amache was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was created by John Hopper, a social studies teacher and dean of students at Granada High School. Hopper, who grew up in nearby Las Animas, learned about Amache through his mother, who worked with a camp survivor. Inspired by its historical significance and educational potential, he founded the Amache Preservation Society and began involving students in preserving and sharing the site’s stories.
From the start, students have played a hands-on role: conducting oral history interviews with survivors, collecting artifacts, maintaining the site and advocating for preservation. Their work helped relocate an original water tank from a nearby ranch to reconstruct Amache’s historic water tower. When the National Park Service began evaluating Amache for designation as a national historic site, students contributed research, shared their findings at community meetings and provided detailed information about key artifacts.
Their efforts paid off. In February 2024, Amache was officially designated a national historic site, in no small part due to the students’ dedication and advocacy.
How Students Support Amache Today
Today, students continue to operate the Amache Museum, guide tours and lead educational initiatives. They present on Amache’s history in neighboring states and have even traveled to Japan to live with host families, experience the culture firsthand and share the story of Amache with international audiences. Some students also help raise funds by meeting with potential donors and promoting the mission of the Amache Preservation Society.
Each May, students play a key role in organizing the annual pilgrimage, a memorial event that draws 200–300 people, including survivors and descendants. The ceremony honors both those incarcerated at Amache and the Indigenous people killed in the nearby Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. Every other summer, students also assist with an archaeological field school at the site, led by the University of Denver.
Despite Granada High School’s small size, just 60 students across four grades, 10 to 12 students participate in the Amache class each year. Their involvement builds awareness and pride within the wider community.
Engaging Youth in History and Stewardship
In a time when many teens are immersed in modern digital culture, this program offers something profound: a chance to connect with history on a local and human level.
To encourage participation, Hopper emphasizes the class’s impact, not only on the community, but on the students’ futures. He highlights opportunities to contribute to something meaningful, meet leaders from around the world, and gain real-world skills that build impressive resumes.
“My students own the project,” said Hopper. “They decide how exhibits are displayed and take the lead in presentations. They understand that they are the interns of this historic site—and that their decisions matter.”
This sense of ownership fosters deep engagement, offering a model for other communities looking to involve young people in destination stewardship and local heritage projects.
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