One of the ways that I try to make history come alive is through the use of video production. It may not always be practicle to take students on field trips to places of local history so through the use of video I bring the local history to the students. While companies like the History Channel produce great videos concerning topics of national history they fall short in terms of local history, creating mini docs (mini documentaries) is also a great way to capitalize on the expertise of local historians and preservationists. For example in the creation of “Rhyolite A Whisper From the Past” I worked closely with Rhyolite historian and author Suzy McCoy to learn more about this interestig ghost town. In addition to the video I also engage students with primary source documents which you can view and download at http://www.mrhinton.org/local%20history.htm