Date: August 28, 2026
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF) is helping expand access to meaningful history education through live virtual learning opportunities for schools across the country. Through interactive online programs and financial support for eligible schools, JYF is helping bring museum educators, historical stories, and authentic learning experiences directly into classrooms—regardless of where students live.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation’s virtual learning programs connect students with the history and stories preserved at Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Through live online experiences, students can engage with museum educators and explore topics connected to early American history, culture, government, and the people whose experiences shaped the nation. These programs give students the opportunity to ask questions, interact with experts, and experience museum-based learning without the cost and logistics of traveling to Virginia.
Expanding Access Through Distance Learning
Through its Distance Learning Grant and School Programs Support Fund , JYF provides financial assistance to eligible schools so students can participate in live virtual programs regardless of their school’s location or available resources. The initiative reflects the power of connected learning to bring museums, historical experts, and meaningful stories directly into classrooms.
For schools serving students who may face barriers to in-person field trips, the School Programs Support Fund provides an important pathway to participation. Funding is available to support live virtual programs for Title I schools and schools where more than 50% of students receive free or reduced-price meals. The goal is to help JYF reach as many public school students as possible and ensure that access to high-quality museum education is not limited by geography or a school’s financial resources.
The grant application process is designed to help museum staff understand each school’s needs. Educators and administrators are asked to explain how a JYF program will support their students and provide information demonstrating the school’s need for assistance, such as Title I status or free- and reduced-price meal data. Applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis, with award decisions generally made within five business days of receiving a completed application. Schools should apply approximately two weeks before the requested program date, and funding must be approved before the program takes place.
Recognizing Excellence in Live Virtual Learning
JYF’s commitment to live, interactive virtual learning extends beyond providing access—it is also reflected in the quality of the experiences it delivers. The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation was recently recognized with its fifth Pinnacle Award from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) , a distinction that recognizes Content Providers whose live virtual programs receive outstanding ratings from participating educators and activity coordinators.
The Pinnacle Award celebrates programs that demonstrate high educational value, active learner engagement, and professional delivery through live videoconferencing. Since 2008, the award has helped educators and organizations identify high-quality live virtual learning experiences while recognizing Content Providers that consistently create meaningful connections with their audiences.
JYF’s fifth Pinnacle Award is a reflection of the organization’s continued commitment to creating engaging, educator-centered virtual experiences. It also highlights an important connection between access and excellence: expanding opportunities for students matters, but so does ensuring that the experiences they receive are engaging, educational, and meaningful.
You can learn more about the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and explore its virtual learning programs through its CILC Content Provider page .
Connecting Students With History, Wherever They Are
This opportunity demonstrates how museums can use virtual learning to extend their educational mission far beyond their physical walls. A classroom hundreds or thousands of miles from Virginia can connect directly with museum educators and explore the people, places, and events that shaped American history. For educators, these experiences can add depth to classroom instruction while giving students the opportunity to engage with experts and cultural institutions they may not otherwise be able to visit.
Through its continued investment in distance learning, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation is demonstrating what is possible when history, museum education, technology, and equity come together. For Title I educators looking for engaging virtual experiences, the program offers a meaningful way to bring history to life in the classroom while reducing barriers to participation, including distance and budget.
JYF’s interactive programming and opportunities such as the Distance Learning Grant remind us that live virtual teaching is not simply about bringing a program onto a screen. It is about creating access to experiences that can spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and help students see themselves connected to the wider world—past, present, and future.
Learn More
Explore the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation’s learning opportunities and program support information at jyfmuseums.org and explore its JYF Virtual Learning Programs here .
Media Credit: Images and program materials courtesy of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.