Event Details

End: September 2, 2016
Contact: gary@nhd.org
More Info: http://www.abmceducation.org/apply

National History Day announces an exciting partnership with the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (CHNM) the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),National Cemetery Administration (NCA). This partnership will allow 18 middle and high school teachers across disciplines to study the experiences of America’s World War II soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coastguardsmen as they fought throughout the Pacific. The program will allow teachers to study this phase of World War II, engage in scholarly readings and discussions with experts and peers, and develop multimedia, multi-disciplinary lesson plans to help teachers and students around the world understand the service and sacrifice of America’s armed forces.

In July 2017, teachers will follow the path of the armed forces and travel to San Francisco, Honolulu, and Manila. Teachers will visit several ABMC and NCA cemeteries to honor individuals from their home states who sacrificed their lives in the war.

Established by Congress in 1923, the ABMC commemorates the service, achievements, and sacrifice of U.S. armed forces. ABMC administers 25 overseas military cemeteries and 27 memorials, monuments, and markers. For more information visit www.abmc.gov, or connect with the ABMC on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.

NCA operates 134 national cemeteries, and 33 soldiers’ lots and monument sites in 40 states and Puerto Rico. More than four million Americans, including Veterans of every U.S. war and conflict, are buried in VA’s national cemeteries. This partnership supports NCA’s recent launch of the Veterans Legacy Program, an effort to provide the public with educational products and programs focused on Veteran stories. For more information visit www.cem.va.gov.

Participants are required to:

• Engage in an intensive 18-month academic study that will run from September 2016 through the spring of 2018.  This will include regular webinars, reading assignments, and discussion board postings;

• Conduct an independent academic study of an aspect of the war in which they will specialize;

• Work with his/her students to conduct a historical study of a service member buried at an ABMC or NCA cemetery;

• Attend a weekend workshop in Washington, DC (November 4-5, 2016). Hotel and meals will be covered, and teachers can receive up to $200 to cover travel costs;

• Join monthly virtual workshops and webinars between November 2016 and April 2017;

• Participate fully in the 12-day Pacific field study to be held in July 2017 (specific dates to be confirmed this fall). Travel, meals, transportation, and accommodations are covered.

• Develop high-quality, edited content and lesson materials for the Understanding Sacrifice website (ABMCEducation.org);

• Apply and present findings at a major educational conference during the 2016-2017 academic year (travel, hotel, and conference fees will be covered);

• Document at least one presentation in his/her home school or community;

• Submit a proposal to a state, regional, or local conference in their areas of expertise (social studies, English, mathematics, science, technology, art, etc.); and

• Produce at least one piece of writing for publication to help draw visitors to the resource. This could take the form of traditional media (magazines, newspapers, journal) or new media (hosting an online chat, guest blog post).

Eligible participants must:

• Be a middle or high school teacher with a minimum of three (3) years teaching full-time at an accredited school;

• Possess the required state certification in his/her discipline; and

• Teach ANY secondary discipline (Social Studies, English/Language Arts, Library/Media Specialist, Special Education, Mathematics, World Language, Science, Arts, Technical Education).

To be considered, the following materials should be submitted via email in one PDF file to Lynne O’Hara, Director of Programs, National History Day (Lynne@nhd.org).  All applications will be acknowledged within 24 hours. Potential applicants with questions are encouraged to ask. Please include:

1. Application Cover Sheet;
2. A copy of a current resume (2 pages max);
3. A list of current classes and grade levels being taught;
4. A copy of your teaching certificate / license;
5. Assignment preference sheet for preferred specialization;
6. An essay explaining the applicant’s interest in World War II and philosophy of teaching (2 pages, doubled-spaced max);
7. A writing sample that demonstrates your ability to write for your peers (2 pages max). This pages, double-spaced max); content of this sample is less important than your ability to communicate an idea across multiple paragraphs. This can be a published piece, but that is not required. Please do not send an itinerary, lesson plan, or outline.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION PACKET 

Expenses:

• The institute covers room and board (double occupancy) during the institute, field trips, meals, international flights, and professional readings.

• Participants are required to get themselves to the departure location for the field study. At that point, all travel costs are covered. They are required to supply their own passport (or renewal if necessary) and cover any personal expenses associated with travel.

Because of the physicality of the institute all participants must be able to stand for 45 minutes and walk for at least two miles. Participants should expect hot, tropical weather for most of the field study. The complexity of the institute’s logistics does not allow for families to accompany the selected participants.

Deadline for applications:

Complete applications for the 2017 Understanding Sacrifice program must be received no later than midnight on Friday, September 2, 2016.  Please complete all requirements, scan into one PDF document, and email completed application to Lynne O’Hara (Lynne@nhd.org). Completed applications will be acknowledged via email within 24 hours of receipt.

All applicants will be notified via phone or email no later than Friday, September 29, 2016. Questions may be directed to Lynne O’Hara (lynne@nhd.org, 484-919- 2595).