The Fort Adams Trust has launched a newly designed youth scavenger hunt booklet created in partnership with Rogers High School Career and Technical Center’s Advertising, Design & New Media program.
Charlie Johnson, a ninth-grade student at Rogers and a participant in the Newport Area Career and Technical Center, led the redesign of the Fort Adams “Tunnel Rat,” reimagining the character and producing a self-guided scavenger hunt booklet that invites young visitors to explore the historic fort. Children who complete the hunt earn an official “Johnny the Tunnel Rat” sticker.
“Working with Charlie was a genuine pleasure, and the results speak for themselves,” said Paul Marshall, executive director of the Fort Adams Trust. “She brought real creativity and professionalism to the project, and our youngest visitors are going to love what she’s made.” Marshall, himself a past student of the program, said it was rewarding to “come full circle and provide a student with a real-life project that will have an impact in her own community.”
The collaboration gave Johnson a hands-on design experience as part of her coursework. Advertising, Design & New Media teacher Caseymea Ramey said the project resonated with students. “This was such a fun project for the students to do. It gave them a real thrill to know their design would be used for a real-life local organization,” she said, noting a friendly competitive element as students hoped their designs would be selected.
Johnson said she was surprised her design was chosen. “I was shocked mine was picked. I didn’t think it would get picked because there were so many good designs, but I’m happy they wanted to use mine,” she said. “I can’t wait to see the design in its real-world application and hope to have many more collaborations with the Fort Adams Trust in the future.”
The nationally accredited Advertising, Design & New Media program offers instruction in advertising, graphic design, photography, digital media, audio-video communications and apparel production, preparing students for careers in the media field and further study.
The Tunnel Rat scavenger hunt, designed for children ages 6 to 14, will be available to all young visitors who take a guided or self-guided tour. Fort Adams is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last self-guided ticket sold at 3 p.m. and daily guided tours at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Tickets are available at fortadams.org/tours or on-site at the Fort Adams Visitor Center.
The Fort Adams Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve and revitalize historic Fort Adams for the public’s benefit. More information is available at fortadams.org.
