Dr. Willett Boyer, a historical archaeologist with the Aussel Research Institute, told the Taylor County School Board that the institute is offering Taylor County students and educators the opportunity to participate in an archaeological field project at a Native American mound site in the county.

Boyer described the site as likely connected to towns recorded by Spanish explorers in 1539 and said the program combines fieldwork, classroom materials and outreach displays. “We are currently beginning a dig that is in the Southwestern portion of Madison,” Boyer said, and the institute brought a sample of its outreach materials, including a mobile display called Priscilla the Mastodon.

The institute said the program will run through May (the speaker described it as “continuing for the next, 2 and a half months”) and that teachers can use lesson plans the group developed for classroom work. Boyer said the institute has provided similar programs to other counties and that participatory fieldwork has been linked, in the institute’s data, to higher U.S. history scores: “...we've seen a 39% rise in our scores from the students that are actively involved in the program,” he said.

Boyer described technical methods the team uses on site, including ground-penetrating radar and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to analyse materials. He said an early sample set included nine pottery fragments, three of which were post-contact and showed elevated arsenic levels; he presented that detail as evidence of early European contact at the site.

The institute distributed a newsletter and directed interested principals and teachers to its website for curriculum materials and contact information. Boyer also said the group has worked with local educational foundations to address transportation costs.

Votes at a glance: the board approved a procedural motion at the start of the meeting to add item number 7 under agenda item 4.01. The motion was made by Miss Pearl, seconded by Miss Matthews and adopted by voice vote with members responding “aye.” The record does not contain a roll-call tally or further detail about the added agenda item.

No formal board action on the research institute's proposal was recorded in the transcript; the presentation was offered as outreach and an invitation to collaborate.

Community members and several board members responded positively in later remarks, noting the potential classroom and extracurricular benefits if schools choose to participate. The institute left contact information and printed materials for districts that want to follow up.