UMS-Wright 8th graders launch Civil War audio tour across city of Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Students at UMS-Wright Preparatory School are launching a Civil War audio tour designed to bring the city’s history to life.

The Class of 2030 created “From the Shadows of the Civil War: Voices, Places, and Perspectives of Mobile,” an immersive, student-led audio tour. The project spans several historic landmarks, where QR codes link to student-created audio recordings.

The project began in the classroom and grew into a collaboration with the City of Mobile.

Students research and record history

“As an educator I believe that learning should go beyond the classroom,” said Baylee Herren, U.S. history teacher. “They have researched, they have dove into the archives to find and bring forth from the shadows voices of Mobile that define our history and what incredible things the city has to offer.”

Students visited historic sites across the city to see what they learned in their textbooks.

“Even being a citizen of Mobile, I didn’t understand the rich history of Mobile,” said Branson Miller, an eighth grade student. “I feel like learning in the classroom is completely different from coming out here and experiencing it firsthand, and it really helped put the icing on the cake for our understanding.”

The tour is available to the public. Anyone in the community can scan the QR codes and listen to Mobile’s history through the voices of the students.

“They’ve practiced really being historians, they’ve done research on voices of Mobile, to see our connection that we have in our community to the Civil War,” said Bre Stricklin, principal.

Sophia Johnson, an eighth grade student, said the experience changed how she sees the city.

“Before, I didn’t know how much our city has done and how many important people have lived here,” Johnson said. “Being able to be out here and learn not by tests but by experiences has been really cool.”

The student-led audio tour is now available at participating locations across Mobile.