Watermark to Sponsor Junior Towne Crier Competition

Released: January 17, 2008

Media Contact: Wendy Thomas, Watermark Director of Marketing
Phone: 410-268-7601 x 111, Email: wendy@watermarkjourney.com
Web Site: www.watermarkjourney.com

Hear ye, Hear ye! Watermark, the area's premier tour and yacht charter company of Annapolis, MD, is hosting the first ever Junior Towne Crier competition on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at Maryland Hall. The competition is a precursor to the North American Towne Crier competition to be held on May 3rd in Annapolis during the Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival. Watermark's tour guide and Annapolis' official Towne Crier, Squire Frederick, will be the local host for this prestigious event. This is one of may events that are part of the Annapolis 200th anniversary celebration - Annapolis Alive! - being held throughout 2008 to celebrate the signing of Annapolis' Royal Charter.

Tom Plott, Entertainment Director for Watermark, explains, "The purpose of this event is to show the youth of today where the concept of modern mass media came from and to give them a 'hands on' experience of what it was like to deliver the news of the day in Colonial Times." In this modern age of TV, the internet, and wireless communication, Watermark felt it was time to expose students to the original Mass Media: Towne Crying! Throughout Colonial Times the Town Crier was the main source of news in Maryland and many other states. Squire Fred states, "While contemporary, 21st-century, towne criers still carry the 'news of the day' they also serve as goodwill Ambassadors at various civic, community, and charitable events, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally."

The competition is open to all schools in the state of Maryland, and winners will be selected from the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels. St. Stephen's Classical Christian Academy in Eldersburg, Maryland, is the first school to register for the Junior Competition. Students must prepare a 40-100 word 'cry' based on an event in Maryland history. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and will accompany Squire Frederick as hosts for the North American Towne Crier Championship on May 3rd.

Visit www.annapolisfieldtrips.com for additional information on the Junior Towne Crier Competition. For a complete listing of all the Annapolis Alive events throughout 2007 visit www.annapolisalive.org.

Watermark Tours, Charters, & Cruises
For a complete list of walking tours, yacht charters, and sightseeing cruises offered by Watermark, visit www.watermarkjourney.com.