Shepherd University’s Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education welcomed 30 middle and high school teachers and education majors to its summer workshop, “People Powered: Civic Action, Community Engagement, and American Representative Democracy.” The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation awarded the Byrd Center $136,250 grant for the initiative, which is designed to expand civics education in West Virginia.
Participating teachers attended sessions either virtually or in-person that covered topics such as handling discourse across differences, experienced-based learning in the classroom, and how to use resources at the Byrd Center in their lessons. Each teacher was awarded a $1,000 professional development stipend to use toward classroom materials and resources.
Lowell Galford, a teacher at the West Virginia Schools of Diversion and Transition at Davis Stuart in Greenbrier County, participated.
“We hope the People Powered concepts of civic engagement will be translated into West Virginia’s classrooms,” said Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, project director. “The goal is to give students a sense of pride and encourage engagement in democratic processes that will become lifelong habits.”
There are two parts to the People Powered Project—participation in this summer workshop and a capstone presentation and competition in April 2024 where participating teachers will present what they’ve done during the school year to transform their history and civics classrooms. The winner will bring back a $5,000 prize, while two runners up will win second prizes of $2,500, to be used to enhance programs at their schools and provide resources and materials that foster excellence in teaching.
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