VBCPS Awarded Nearly a Million Dollars to Enhance U.S. History Instruction VBCPS Awarded Nearly a Million Dollars to Enhance U.S. History Instruction Virginia Beach City Public Schools was one of seven school divisions across Virginia to be awarded a Teaching American History Grant. The grant, totaling $984,161, is funded through the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) and is considered one of the largest competitive instructional grants ever awarded to the school division. The grant provides financial support for "You Gotta Have HEART," a three-year program designed to enhance the instruction of U.S. history throughout the school division. "HEART" is an acronym for History Engages, Amazes, Remembers, and Teaches. Secondary social studies coordinators Georgeanne Hribar and Lannah Hughes will co-direct the project. In keeping with the purpose behind the teaching American History Grant program, the "HEART" project is designed to raise student achievement by providing opportunities for teachers to increase their knowledge and appreciation of American history by working in partnership with institutions having expertise in American history. VBCPS officials decided to apply for the grant following a needs assessment that highlighted a need for additional resources to be dedicated toward sharpening staff members' content knowledge. National research indicates that one of the most effective ways to improve student progress in social studies is to improve teachers' content knowledge, noted Hughes. "Some studies show this as the number one factor," she said. "I don't think any group of teachers has worked any harder to meet those (SOL) standards, than our U.S. history teachers. This money gives us an opportunity to do some of the things that teachers have thought would be good ideas for increasing student achievement," Hughes said. "We believe that we can always do more. We can always be better" The "You Gotta Have HEART" project offers course work in American history and teaching practices at Virginia Wesleyan College for sixth, seventh, and 11th grade history teachers. Highlights of "HEART" include a history speakers' program, creation of the American History Fellows (VBCPS teachers serving as mentors/trainers), provision of visual and primary source material in classrooms, exposure to best practices, and historic site visits in Washington, DC, and Richmond. Also included are research and teaching workshops and summer internships related to World War II at the MacArthur Memorial, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, and the Children's Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth. Participating teachers will earn at least three college credits and will be encouraged to take additional courses resulting in a History Scholars Program Certificate. "The proactive benefits of this project will be the improvement of instruction, deeper opportunities for our history teachers," said Hribar, "and to get folks ready to celebrate history." The USDOE awarded 114 grants out of 469 applications through the Teaching American History grant competition for 2002. Projects located in 39 States and the District of Columbia received awards ranging from $19,561 to $1 million. In announcing the seven Virginia grant recipients, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jo Lynne DeMary pointed to the state's national leadership in developing U.S. history standards. "The programs supported by these grants will allow teachers to discover exciting and engaging ways for students to better connect with American history and to see that an understanding of history does have an impact on their daily lives," she said. Teaching American History Grants were also awarded to Fairfax County, Franklin County, Newport News, Rockbridge County, Russell County, Scott County, and Williamsburg-James City County public schools. Grants awarded to Virginia school divisions totaled $5,792,617. ###