GREENSBORO, N.C. – A first-time partnership is giving students at Cone Elementary the opportunity to learn Greensboro’s history first hand. Monday, the second graders took a trip to the Greensboro Historical Museum.

Financial constraints have forced the school to cut back on field trips such as this one.

“So much of our instructional money goes to instructional things at our school, so sometimes field trips are one of those things that are lost, unfortunately,” said Bennie Bradley Principal Intern at Cone Elementary.

The school’s second graders had not been on a field trip this year until today. It comes as a result of the Junior League of Greensboro teaming up with the Greensboro Historical Museum to launch the program “Day at the Museum.” The initiative is a multi-year partnership with Cone Elementary, where students learn about history and what it takes to be a curator.

Through research, Cone was identified as one of the schools in Guilford County that needed the most hands on help.

“It is a blessing to see this day become a reality. Our second graders are our heart, as is the entire school at Cone Elementary,” said Julie Copeland, Junior League of Greensboro President.

The museum was closed to the public to give children a chance to discover and explore. Students interviewed museum curators and received a behind-the-scenes tour of the exhibits.

“I see museums to be like books, the earlier a child is introduced to a museum, the more that they will, the chances that they will be life-long museum goers,” said Lisa Anderson, President of the Greensboro Historical Museum.

For many students, the field trip was their first time visiting a museum. At the end of the visit, the students received a certificate as a young curator and goodie bags.

The Junior League covers transportation and other expenses. The museum hopes to continue working with non-profits to expand the program to other schools in the fall.

Cone Elementary students will also receive coupons to bring their families to the museum.