Putnam County Junior High School hosts the Civil War Amazing Race for students

The 48 seventh-grade students competed in the Civil War Amazing Race at Putnam County Junior High.

From May 7 to May 9, they completed Civil War themed challenges and received clues to their next destinations to lead them to a check-in station. Each challenge pertained to a battle or event related to the Civil War.

Challenges ranged from obstacle courses simulating military training and bandaging injuries, to reciting the Gettysburg Address while dressed as President Abraham Lincoln. Students completed pie charts relating to math, an experiment relating to science and a timeline relating to social studies. Each day, as students rushed to the finish line they were greeted by various Civil War reenactors. Tuesday’s reenactors were three Southern Confederate soldiers, part of the Missouri Guerrillas unit. Harriet Tubman was at the finish line on Wednesday. President and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln celebrated the teams on Thursday. After lunch, each of the reenactors presented a short program.

The Putnam County Education Foundation helped fund the reenactors and provide lunches for them as well as medals and a special lunch for the top three teams. The school also purchased some new supplies and updated some of the stations. The Putnam County PTO also provided funds for one of the reenactors. The staff at PCJH worked hard to make the Civil War Amazing Race a memorable experience for all the students, the school said in a news release.