Two Poudre School District teachers were selected from among hundreds of thousands of teachers across the country to participate in a national fellowship program this summer.
John Robinson of Wellington Middle-High School and Bethany Rayls of Timnath Elementary School were selected for the We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History and Civics national fellowship program at William & Mary. They are among 100 educators chosen nationwide.
"Welcoming 100 teachers from across the nation to the Historic Triangle is a remarkable opportunity,” said Mark Hofer, executive director of Strategic Cultural Partnerships and professor in the W&M School of Education. “These teacher-leaders will explore America’s founding where it happened — walking the same ground as the founders, grappling with the same questions – and prepare them to lead this work back in their home states.”
Led by W&M’s Strategic Cultural Partnerships division and undertaken in partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), the program is funded by a $2.89 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education — the largest such award to a Virginia institution of higher learning under the American History and Civics Education National Activities program.
The We the Teachers program reinforces the university’s national reputation for developing civic leadership and will equip teachers with evidence-based pedagogy to create stronger learning outcomes for students across the country.
“Selection into William & Mary’s We the Teachers cohort is a tremendous honor, and we are incredibly proud of our social studies educators,” said Amanda Krieger, PSD Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “Understanding our shared history and civic responsibilities is crucial to inspiring a new generation of engaged, thoughtful citizens. The innovative strategies they will bring back and share with other educators will help impact how our students connect with civics.”
Congratulations to these two incredible teachers for their accomplishment!