National History Day Contact
Mark Robinson / 301-314-9739
mark@nhd.org

ABC-CLIO Schools Contact
Donna Coleman / 1-800-368-6868
dcoleman@abc-clio.com

WASHINGTON – June 1, 2005 –National History Day (NHD) and ABC-CLIO Schools have partnered with the Chicago Metro History Center to provide a summer institute for teachers focused on the theme Taking a Stand in History: Claiming Citizenship. The institute will take place July 10 – July 15, 2005 in Chicago, IL.

The purpose of the institute is to improve the teaching of history by exposing participants to recent scholarship about citizenship, familiarizing them with the primary sources available for studying and teaching, discussing how technology can improve teaching practices, and modeling different ways of encouraging active learning. To achieve this goal teachers will have the opportunity of working with prominent historians and being exposed to a fascinating array of resources, including historic sites, oral histories, and visual images, which can be used in teaching.

A cohort of 30 educators have been selected from across the country to participate in the seven-day institute. The institute is free for educators and includes extensive curriculum materials, housing, and meals (participants are expected to fund their trip to Chicago).

Institute participants will work with prominent historians and tour historic sites in and around Chicago relating to the theme of "taking a stand." These sites include the neighborhoods of Haymarket, Waldheim Cemetery, Prairie Avenue, Pullman, West Pullman, Grant Park, and the Hull House.

To be eligible for participation, educators must be secondary school librarians, media specialists or teachers of history/social studies. Applicants must also have employment guaranteed for the 2005-2006 academic year.

The institute will be lead by Dr. Janice Reiff, an assistant professor at UCLA who recently collaborated on the creation of the Encyclopedia of Chicago History. Other speakers at the institute include:

• Dr. Carl Smith, professor at Northwestern University who recently won the Urban History Association's prize for Best Book in North American Urban History, who will discuss the urban history of Chicago
• Dr. Allida Black, professor at George Washington University and director and editor of the Eleanor Roosevelt and Human Rights Project, who will speak about Eleanor Roosevelt and the UN Declaration
• Dr. Carl Smith, professor of history at the University of Chicago, who will discuss labor unions and the Haymarket Square riots in Chicago
• Dr. Toby Higbie, director of the Dr. William M. Scholl Center for Family and Community History at the Newberry Library, who will breakdown the process of creating a museum exhibit

In addition, six ABC-CLIO fellows will lead discussions on the value of teaching history and the process of historical inquiry and "graceful thinking." The fellows include:

• Dr. Lee Eysturlid, published author and high school history/social science teacher at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL. Dr. Eysturlid received his Ph.D. from Purdue University and is a member of the Citadel Historical Association

• Chris Mullin, Latin and A.P. U.S. and European history teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in Santa Ynez, CA. Mullin received his Masters in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and was named California Teacher of the Year in 2003

• Dr. Rob Kiely, history instructor at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL. Dr. Kiely received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University and received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and the Sun Hing Lim Teaching Award from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

• Jim Masker, teacher of U.S. history, international relations, and astronomy at the Cate School in Carpinteria, CA. Masker was instrumental in the development of Cate's new cross-disciplinary American studies course, emphasizing the value of original research and experiential learning

• Linda Larrabee, an award-winning National History Day teacher at Burlington-Edison North High School in Burlington, WA. Larrabee has a masters degree in history and has served on the executive board of the Washington History Day program since 1990

• Cynthia Mostoller, social studies department chair at Alice Deal Jr. High School in Washington, DC. Mostoller has served as lead teacher for National History Day from 1999-2004 and was named The History Channel's History Educator of the Year in 2003

This institute will provide teachers with the hands-on learning that will translate into better curriculum and more engaged students. Past participants of the institute have found their experiences to be absolutely invaluable.

"Teachers need this shot of adrenaline in the summer. It gives us a focus and a new way of looking at the material and what we do in the classroom. In terms of content, accessibility of speakers, quality of participants, excitement ... this is the best workshop I've ever attended," said a former participant.

About National History Day, Inc.
National History Day, Inc. (NHD) is not just one day, but a year-long nonprofit education organization that makes history come alive through teacher professional development and active student learning. For more information, visit the official website at www.nationalhistoryday.org

About ABC-CLIO
ABC-CLIO Schools (www.abc-clio.com/schools) is an award-winning publisher of social studies reference and curriculum materials for middle and high school libraries and classrooms. ABC-CLIO Schools publishes large multimedia databases for social studies classes in secondary schools. ABC-CLIO Schools is a division of ABC-CLIO, a premier history publisher celebrating 50 years of reference publishing in 2005.