Leadership Macon Class of 2019 partners with the Ocmulgee National Monument Association to develop an outdoor amphitheater and classroom for the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. ACE Construction is slated to lead the construction of the theater. The class project will also include interactive STEAM trunks and restoration of the woodland house. The house was originally built in 2016 by a member of the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe, Neal Parr. The house, a popular visitors' attraction, was vandalized in February 2019 during the government shutdown. This year’s 40 person Leadership Macon class is aiming to raise $75,000.00 by the end of the year to fund the three-part project. The amphitheater, woodland house, and STEAM trunks will work together to enhance the experience of out-of-town visitors, local residents, students, and ultimately, the greater Macon community.

“The opportunity to expose children to an outdoor classroom experience which would link standards and skills learned inside the classroom to hands-on application, encourage critical thinking/creativity, and collaboration among their peers is phenomenal,” says Carmalita Dillard, the principal of Hartley Elementary School and a participant in this year’s Leadership Macon class.  

The Ocmulgee National Monument Association received a grant from the Community Foundation to go towards an outdoor classroom in 2018 but lacked enough to fund the project in its entirety. By partnering with Leadership Macon, ACE will be able to break ground and begin construction this fall.

“The amphitheater has been a dream of ours for over five years,” says Ocmulgee National Monument Association’s Executive Director Lisa Lemon. “We are so excited that this year’s Leadership Macon class has elected to work with us for their class project. The participants have a passion for our community and it shows. I am confident that their skills and dedication will ensure not only that the amphitheater is completed sooner than we could have hoped, but also the addition of the woodland house reconstruction and STEAM trunks will provide an enriched education program.”