Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations (ECHO) is a major, federally funded educational and cultural enrichment initiative, annually serving hundreds of thousands of children and adult continuing learners in Alaska, Hawai`i, and Massachusetts. Established by Congress as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, ECHO brings to culturally diverse audiences innovative programs collaboratively produced by six regional cultural entities: Alaska Native Heritage Center and North Slope Borough ECHO Project in Alaska; Bishop Museum in Hawai`i; New Bedford ECHO Project and Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, in Mississippi. Working with partners, such as the National Park Service, schools, and community-based organizations, ECHO programs amplify educational benefits, foster greater appreciation of local and national history, and assist communities in maximizing the social benefits of new technologies.

Together, ECHO partner institutions represent more than four centuries of experience serving the educational needs of communities. While varying in their individual missions, all embrace common goals: to enhance appreciation of regional heritage, to facilitate dialogue and understanding between communities and individuals, and to provide life-enhancing educational opportunities beyond those provided by traditional classrooms.

The communities served by ECHO programs are culturally and economically diverse, touching on the farthest corners of the United States. First brought into contact with each other through trade– today’s partner regions share threads of common history. This shared heritage serves as the basis for initiating new contacts and conversations, facilitated by today’s digital communication tools. Through this dialogue, communities become better equipped to engage in the global marketplace, bridging divides of geography, culture, and generation, while maintaining better awareness of local culture and identity. Through ECHO, the vistas of individuals and communities are broadened and new views toward brighter futures are achieved.

ECHO programs are nationally important models, demonstrating that the educational future of our nation will be written in the language of long distance, public/private, and community-based partnerships. These partnerships enable museums to chart new path, paths that lead to positions of importance as vital cultural and educational centers, and places of meeting for communities throughout the country.