Declaration of Independence Tour Comes to Austin Pearson Education is proud to partner with Declare Yourself and the National Parent/Student Mock Election to take the only traveling copy of the Declaration of Independence on a tour of the country. Last fall, millions of students and parents participated in the Mock Election. The Austin visit of the Dunlap broadside resulted from Austin ISD's national recognition for its model voter education program that was a part of the 2008 Presidential mock election in which 78,000 K-12 students participated. Anderson High School received the honor of being the host site for its high voter participation rate in the mock election as well as for its innovative voter education program.

At the noon hour dignitary assembly, guests are welcomed to Anderson High School by Principal Donna Houser.

Administrative Supervisor for Social Studies Joe Ramirez speaks about the significance of the Dunlap broadside. Special Guests for the noon dignitary assembly included Austin ISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, Pearson Foundation Vice President Raymond Ward, and Texas Secretary of State Communications Director Randall Dillard.

Before the student tour groups arrived, early morning preparations included a run through of the noon assembly’s program by Anderson parent volunteer Julie Cowan (right) and Social Studies Department Chair Lyn Loeffler (left).

AISD Social Studies staff members Jessica Jolliffe, Janie McClam, Celeste Smith, and Joe Ramirez joined by Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett.

Hill Elementary Choir performs under the direction of Debra Erck

Anderson HS Honor Student Daniel Hurwitz spoke on how seeing the document in person gives a student a perspective that cannot be found in a history textbook.

Anderson ROTC students stood guard over the broadside. While some visitors looked at it briefly, others perused the document carefully as they literally examined every word in the document. The broadside was enclosed in a glass case that allowed for curious visitors to gently place their fingers on the glass as they read through the different lines announcing our nation's birth.

The Anderson High School Men’s Barbershop Chorus, under the direction of David Beussman, performed The Star Spangled Banner.

As visitors waited in line for their chance to see the Dunlap broadside, they also saw video footage of celebrities reading the text from the Declaration of Independence and saw a 3rd edition copy of the book Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, printed in 1833, the year after the death of Charles Carroll, the last surviving signer of the Declaration (photo, Middle School specialist Janie Maldonado, using the book from 1833, models questions asked in historic document analysis).

The copy is one of 200 broadsheet copies made before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The copies were then put up across the colonies. Over 1500 students viewed the broadside during the school day with several hundred members of the community attending the viewing during the evening at Anderson High. Before exiting, all had an opportunity to sign their names – like the original signers – committing themselves as citizens of the United States of America to the important ideas expressed by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence.

Some students and teachers dressed in period costumes to celebrate the display. Shown here are teachers Joe Carcione, Curtis Powell and William Lampkin with students Laura Zeiler and Carly Brown – both Seniors at Anderson High.