It’s a busy spring tour season for Civic Education staff and volunteers at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center.

During the past three months, guides led 170 tours with more than 8,000 visitors.

“We had great attendance for the spring, definitely the top tier of spring attendance,” Said Sara Stiffler, Civic Education coordinator.

On this day, students from Canton Central Catholic tour the Visitor Education Center.

The Visitor Education Center offers students – fourth grade and above – an inside look at Ohio courts. School tours include student participation in a mock trial and a courtroom visit featuring artwork that portrays the state’s history, culture, and commerce.

Fifty-two schools were able to visit during this past school year because of what’s called state transportation grants, which will be used to help schools across Ohio pay for bussing to the Visitor Education Center.

“I think it’s important. It allows students to come to Columbus from all over the state.  From rural communities to urban communities, some of them have never left the county that they live in,” said Stiffler.

Financially strapped Ohio schools have received 279 grants totaling more than $88,000 since the transportation grant program began in 2011.