Lynn C. Woolsey: “I support this bill, which improves history and civics education, primarily by funding workshops for history teachers.…”

“I support this bill, which improves history and civics education, primarily by funding workshops for history teachers. It recognizes the importance of teaching our children history and allows for Federal support for an effective and widely respected program, National History Day. This bill creates both Presidential Academies for Teaching of American History and Civics and Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics. I am pleased that it will ensure that these are quality programs by ensuring that grants are awarded only to those who have demonstrated expertise in historical methodology or the teaching of history. A very important feature of this legislation authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to the National History Day program, a highly successful, year-long national program that trains teachers and sponsors a national competition among junior high and high school students. They produce dramatic performances, imaginative exhibits, multimedia documentaries and research papers based on research related to an annual theme.”