Young American Heroes (YAH) is a groundbreaking multi-platform initiative that uses the true-life stories of young heroes from America¹s past to teach history to middle school students. Docere Palace Studios, working with Connecticut Public Television, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, CPB’s American History and Civics Initiative and others, engaged Cabengo as a consultant to assess the level of effort and resources needed to develop the website component of the Young American Heroes series.
Just as the television series would use a peer-approach to storytelling, focusing on the stories of young people who have changed the course of American history, we proposed that the website capitalize on the web’s participatory culture and potential for peer-to-peer learning. Through thoughtful and engaging interactive features, we proposed that the site create opportunities for learning through conversation, collaboration, creative expression, and exploration. By positioning historical investigation as both a reflective study and a constructive, creative process, history becomes not only a window into the past but a powerful means to understand the present moment.