Revolutionary Girl Dreaming Igniting Young Minds Through History, Creativity, and Discovery

Revolutionary Girl Dreaming

Igniting Young Minds Through History,

Creativity, and Discovery

Rebecca Hemlock

The Ashland Beacon

This November, young women across Boyd County and beyond will get the chance to discover the untold stories of America's forgotten heroines while unleashing their own creative potential at the Revolutionary Girl Dreaming Journal workshop, a one-of-a-kind event designed to inspire the next generation to dream, create, and discover.

Set for November 19 from 9 AM to 2 PM at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center in Ashland, Kentucky, this immersive, fun-filled day promises to blend creativity, history, inspiration, and hands-on learning into an unforgettable experience for young women in grades 6 through 10.

The workshop is open to public, private, and homeschool students, an incredible opportunity for young ladies across the region to come together and explore history in a fresh, dynamic way. With America preparing to celebrate its 250th birthday in 2026, Central Kentucky kicked off the liberty party early last year with an inaugural creative history workshop that has since sparked contagious excitement.

"We tested a new creative history and literary program for young women at the Lexington History Museum in February 2025," organizers explained. "The excitement has been contagious. We have continued to turn heroine stories from the American Revolution into a day filled with storytelling, song, art, team projects, and creative writing and now we're bringing it to Boyd County."

The day doesn't just begin with a history lesson; it begins with a life lesson. Participants will open the workshop by learning the art of effective listening, an academic and leadership secret that sets the tone for everything that follows. From there, students will dive into the unforgettable stories of unrecognized women who contributed mightily to the American Revolution. Among the remarkable figures they'll encounter:

• Mary Katharine Goddard, the only woman whose name appears on the Declaration of Independence

• Phillis Wheatley — the first African American author of a published book of poetry

• A Shawnee chieftess who lived in Kentucky and supported Patriot causes

• The Bryan Station Women & Children — heroines who saved a Central Kentucky station

• And that mysterious teenage girl who rode longer and farther than Paul Revere himself

After the stories come the hands-on activities, and plenty of them. Students will participate in singing, marketing team challenges, and an Americana art project that brings history to life in vibrant, tangible ways. Creative writing time focuses on poetic skills that are transferable to any type of writing, with special attention given to Free Verse ("the most patriotic poetry of all") and the Revku haikus about the Revolutionary War that promise to be as clever as they are educational.

Each participant will also receive a brand-new workshop journal filled with activities to continue their creative journey long after the day ends.

Registration is just $15, but space is limited, and the deadline to register is November 6. Students attending through area schools must be part of a supervised group, and each group of 1–12 students must have a designated teacher, aide, or parent who remains at the Highlands Discovery Museum for the entire workshop. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the site.

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to inspire the young women in your life to dream bigger, create boldly, and discover the hidden heroines who helped shape America. Register today and join the revolution, because the next generation of history-makers is waiting to be unleashed.

For registration and more information, visit the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center or Whywrite.org before the November 6 deadline.