The Greene County Records Center and Archives in Xenia, Ohio implemented an educational outreach program during 2015. At the time that this program was implemented, it was the first of its type developed by a local government repository in Ohio. This program has been an excellent form of outreach to local Greene County schools by educating the students about what a government archives is and the types of records that we hold. The program consists of classroom visits as well as online resources that are available to both educators and students. Teachers often get bogged down with trying to ensure that the state testing requirements are being met and local history often falls to the wayside. The Greene County Records Center and Archives’ program emphasizes the local Greene County history by showcasing the government records that they preserve.
The Greene County Records Center and Archives received the 2016 NAGARA Program Excellence Award, for their educational outreach program, at the annual conference in Lansing, Michigan. The NAGARA Program Excellence Award recognizes outstanding, innovative and successful government archives and records management programs or initiatives. This award was established to recognize a collaborative team or government program for the development and implementation of a creative product or program that enhances the goals of government records management and preservation.