Full Steam Ahead
First & Foremost, remember this is an ongoing initiative! Be sure to continue stamping passports and displaying your trains!
Here is a one page checklist for participating businesses refreshing the trail with the 2026 cohort of HCSD 3rd grade students. Continue reading for specifics and links!
.png)
Connect with Your School
📲 If you have not heard from your school yet, please email or text Sam ASAP!
⌚️ Once you are connected with the point person for the school, please schedule a time to meet with the classes either in person or virtually.
☑️ Chuck D'Andrea, DH board member and Innovation & Discovery Specialist, has prepared tips regarding what to include in your presentation so it aligns with the students' curriculum. Feel out of your depth? Check out our HHE video series on YouTube! Sam is always a resource as well.
👯 There are three options if you would like to have someone to support you during your class visit. Sharon at Coffee Connections has offered to tag along if you would like. As a former teacher and a Hilliard history enthusiast, she is a great addition. Sam at Destination Hilliard has a background in child development and counseling and has been up to her elbows in Hilliard history for the last few years. Tim from the historical society is the most knowledgeable and may be available to join you. We are working out details with the Hilliard Ohio Historical Society on this piece, as we ran into a little bump in the road.
Field Trips
🚌 Last year, the biggest challenge for the student experience was getting the kids to Downtown for a field trip. PLEASE help us to fix the issue.
HAVE FUN with the Students!
How to engage through the field trips: YOUR PARTNER SCHOOL
Some businesses choose to provide an activity or sample for their school. This is NOT required, but the businesses who have in the past have reported this paid off with return visits with families.
One business offered a discounted experience to the school's PTO. We do try to keep the experiences as accessible to all as possible, but this is an option.
Make a big deal about the train and where it will be hidden. If you aren't bringing the kids inside your space, encourage them to come back with their families to find their train.
Be ready to stamp passports. Know the page of your stop and have them get their books ready so you can stamp quickly to keep things moving.
DH will provide stickers to hand out as "prizes" for those in attendance since they will not complete the trail. They can come back to finish at a later date.
Need ideas? Reach out to Sam!
OTHER SCHOOLS: How to engage for field trips
Here is the easiest way to engage – simply stamp books!
There is no need to have anything planned for other schools. If you do choose to do something, PLEASE check in with us beforehand. The schools have limited time. We don't want you to be disappointed if they cannot make it.
Some businesses choose to hand out coupons or other items to encourage students to return. This is NOT required.
Tag us in social media posts!
Post about your experience and tag us! This is a great example of your passion for the community. Take photos.
*Be sure to ask the school if photos of students can be shared. We did not have many students who were not allowed to be photographed last year, but check to make sure.
Ongoing Campaign
The best part: we will keep this going as a fun way to explore Hilliard.
Don’t forget to keep your trains out and your stamps at the ready! We will continue to encourage folks to check out this unique experience. This campaign won an Ohio Tourism Association Spirit of Community RUBY Award. Make sure you are sharing your participation! The Hilliard History Express Page includes YOUR business and it was one of our top 10 visited pages in 2025.
