The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded a grant of $173,000 to Fort Ticonderoga to host two week-long Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops for School Teachers in the summer of 2014. The workshops will focus on “The American Revolution on the Northern Frontier: Fort Ticonderoga and the Road to Saratoga.” Fort Ticonderoga was one of only two institutions in New York State to receive grant funding for NEH Landmarks Workshops in 2014.
“This prestigious grant allows Fort Ticonderoga an unparalleled opportunity to play a vital part in educating and inspiring America’s youth through their teacher’s participation in this program,” said Beth Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Fort Ticonderoga is a national leader in teacher education and this program helps add to our diverse offerings and increased reach.”
This NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop for School Teachers will be offered twice: July 6-11, 2014 and July 27-August 1, 2014. There is no fee for this program and all participants receive a $1,200 stipend to help defray expenses. Teachers wishing to earn three graduate credits during the workshop can do so through an arrangement with the College of St. Joseph in Vermont.
“I’m really excited to welcome 80 teachers to Fort Ticonderoga next summer as part of the NEH Landmarks Workshops,” said Rich Strum, Fort Ticonderoga’s Director of Education and the NEH Project Director for the workshops in 2014. “Providing teachers with a unique learning experience combining a top-notch slate of visiting scholars and the talented staff and amazing resources at Fort Ticonderoga makes for a very memorable experience. It’s gratifying to think of the long-term impact a week like this has on teachers and their future students for years to come.”
Visiting scholars for the workshops include some of the most prominent historians in their fields and include James Kirby Martin (University of Houston), Holly Mayer (Duquesne University), Douglas Egerton (LeMoyne College), Carol Berkin (City University of New York), William Fowler (Northeastern University), and Jon Parmenter (Cornell University). Participating teachers have the opportunity to discuss issues related to the Revolution with these scholars as well as utilize the inexhaustible resources of Fort Ticonderoga.
Fort Ticonderoga and the American Revolution
Fort Ticonderoga played a crucial role in the early years of the American Revolution on the northern frontier. Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured the Fort and its valuable artillery in May 1775 for the colonial cause. It was a hive of activity in 1776, fending off an aborted British invasion from Canada. In 1777, when news reached London that the Fort fell to the British in July, King George III reportedly shouted to the Queen “I’ve beaten them! I’ve beaten them!” These week-long workshops explore Fort Ticonderoga and the first three years of the Revolution on the northern frontier.
“The American Revolution on the Northern Frontier: Fort Ticonderoga and the Road to Saratoga” is open to all teachers nationwide through a competitive application process that opens in December. Full-time and part-time classroom teachers and librarians in public, charter, independent, and religiously-affiliated schools, as well as home-schooling parents, are eligible to participate. Other K-12 school personnel, including administrators, substitute teachers, and classroom professionals, are also eligible to participate, subject to available space.
Fort Ticonderoga hosted two NEH Landmarks Workshops for School Teachers in the summer of 2011 and also offers the annual Fort Ticonderoga Teacher Institute each summer. To learn more about programs for educators, visit the Fort Ticonderoga website at www.fortticonderoga.org and click on “Educators” on the drop down menu under “Explore and Learn.”
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