+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+
| National Park Service      | Manzanar         |   | PO Box 426        |
|                            |                  |   |                   |
| U.S. Department of the     | National         |   | 5001 Highway 395  |
| Interior                   | Historic Site    |   |                   |
|                            |                  |   | Independence, CA  |
|                            | Use the complete |   | 93526             |
|                            | site name here   |   |                   |
|                            | (e.g. Palo Alto  |   | 760 878-2194      |
|                            | Battlefield      |   | phone             |
|                            | Historic Site).  |   |                   |
|                            |                  |   | 760 878-2949 fax  |
+----------------------------+------------------+---+-------------------+

![](media/image1.png){width="0.5597222222222222in"
height="0.7201388888888889in"}

**Manzanar National Historic Site** News Release

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Use a "short-hand" version of the site name here (e.g. Palo Alto
  Battlefield not Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Site).

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

For Immediate Release: February 3, 2007

Contacts:

Jamie Patten, National Park Foundation

\(202\) 238-4198, jpatten@nationalparks.org

Anthony J. Romano, Ball State University

\(765\) 716-0184, romano@bsu.edu

Jeff Arnett, National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum

\(607\) 547-0349, <jarnett@baseballhalloffame.org>

Alisa Lynch, Manzanar National Historic Site

\(760\) 878-2194 ext. 2711 alisa_m_lynch@nps.gov

                      

**Manzanar: Desert Diamonds Behind Barbed Wire**

*** **National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, National Park Foundation
and Ball State University Connect Millions to Manzanar National Historic
Site through Electronic Field Trip*

The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, The National Park
Foundation and Ball State University have again joined together to
connect more than 20 million children and community members from all 50
states in a simultaneous virtual visit to Manzanar National Historic
Site. The site, located 225 miles north of Los Angeles in the Owens
Valley of California, was established to preserve the stories of the
internment of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II and
to serve as a reminder to this and future generations of the fragility
of American civil liberties.

On Tuesday, February 13^th^, millions of children from across the
country will be virtually connected in an Electronic Field Trip complete
with live tours, in-class activities, and an online panel of experts.
Electronic Field Trips are a signature program of Ball State University
that takes advantage of award-winning technology to give participants a
unique learning experience. *Desert Diamonds Behind Barbed Wire* was
made possible through funding from the National Baseball Hall of Fame &
Museum.

"The Baseball Hall of Fame is proud to participate in its sixth
Electronic Field Trip with Ball State University," said Dale Petroskey,
president of the museum. "To be joined by the National Park Foundation
in exploring the compelling and little-known story of baseball in the
Japanese American internment camps of World War II is both a privilege
and a fitting collaboration, featuring three of America's most respected
educational institutions."

*Desert Diamonds Behind Barbed Wire* is an interactive 60-minute
broadcast from Manzanar National Historic Site featuring Park experts as
well as online and in-class activities. Working alongside experts on the
show, students will learn about the World War II experiences of Japanese
Americans from experts on the show, including three former Manzanar
internees and two grandchildren of Manzanar internees; and have an
opportunity to question experts through a live satellite feed, email and
phone calls.

"The partnership between the National Park Foundation and Ball State
University\'s Electronic Field Trips program is giving millions of
children a unique opportunity to learn about what life was like for many
Japanese Americans during their time at Manzanar during WWII,\" said
Ball State President Jo Ann M. Gora. "With a focus on internment-era
baseball, this innovative use of interactive technology allows viewers
to see and hear first hand, some fascinating stories from Manzanar."

This is the fourth Electronic Field Trip this year to take advantage of
the rich educational resources in our National Parks through the
National Park Foundation. "Many people don't realize that our National
Parks preserve the world's greatest collection of natural, cultural and
historic resources," said Vin Cipolla, President of the National Park
Foundation. "We are proud to be a part of connecting so many children to
this wonderful American story of patriotism, courage, loyalty, tolerance
and community. It is in experiencing stories like these from our past
that our children will learn to successfully shape the future of our
country."

Ball State's Electronic Field Trips program received six Telly Awards
for last year's programming. The Web site is a key part of the program
and was honored by the Center for Digital Education with a Best of the
Web award in 2005 and two gold awards at the 2006 World Media Festival.

The partnership with Ball State is part of the National Park
Foundation's ongoing efforts to connect America's youth to their
National Parks. In April 2006, the National Park Foundation and Ball
State University hosted the largest ever simultaneous "visit" to a
National Park when approximately 36 million participated in an
Electronic Field Trip to Carlsbad Caverns during National Park Week.
Since then, the partners have facilitated Electronic Field Trips to
Independence National Historical Park, and Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park.

In addition to participating onsite at Manzanar National Historic Site,
there are opportunities for members of the media to participate in local
schools across the country or to access the satellite feed of the
broadcast airing at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (EDT)/8 a.m. and 10 a.m. (PDT).
**Information about the field trips can be found at
[www.bsu.edu/eft](http://www.bsu.edu/eft).**

**The public is invited to view the live broadcasts in the West Theater
of the Manzanar National Historic Site Interpretive Center at 8:00 a.m.
and/or 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 13. The center is located at 5001
Highway 395, Independence, California, nine miles north of Lone Pine and
six miles south of Independence. Admission is free.**

# # #

**About the National Baseball Hall of Fame**

Located on Main Street in the heart of picturesque Cooperstown, New
York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the
country\'s most popular destinations and is surely the best-known sports
shrine in the world. Opening its doors for the first time on June 12,
1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the
game\'s treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor
bestowed on an athlete. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is
an independent non-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering
an appreciation of the historical development of Baseball and its impact
on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting
its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have
made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime.

**About the National Park Foundation**

The National Park Foundation (www.nationalparks.org) is 501(c)(3)
organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to continue a century-long
tradition of private philanthropy to help preserve and enhance the
legacy of our National Parks.  As the official non-profit partner of
America's National Parks, the National Park Foundation strengthens the
connection between the American people and their National Parks by
raising private funds, making strategic grants, creating innovative
partnerships and increasing public awareness.  Support of the National
Park Foundation ensures that the evolving history and rich heritage of
our Nation remains vital and relevant. 

**About Ball State University**\
Ball State University (www.bsu.edu), located in Muncie, Ind., is the
third-largest public university in Indiana, with more than 18,000
students. Named the nation's best wireless campus in 2005, the
university has 11 nationally ranked or recognized academic programs and
initiatives. Originally a private teacher training school when it opened
in 1899, Ball State became a university in 1965. The 1,035-acre campus
in Delaware County is an hour's drive northeast of Indianapolis.

**Remaining Electronic Field Trip Schedule for 2006-07:**

-   \"Going, Going, Faster: The Science of Speed!\" April 17, 2007,
    Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis

-   \"Listening to our Ancestors,\" May 8, 2007, North Pacific Coast,
    Juneau, Alaska

­\-- END \--