It’s February and that means it is my favorite season, summer program application season! I pour over the offerings like a kid looking at the Toys R Us Christmas catalog, choosing topics and destinations to add to my wish list. I would like to share with you some of my favorites. The best part? They are ALL free, the resources are incredible, many include stipends, and you still have time to apply!
The StreetLaw and the 2023 Supreme Court Summer Institute experience exceeded all of my expectations. Teachers spend a week in Washington DC, using the lessons from StreetLaw’s free resource library and learning about six current (or recent) cases. Other activities have included a reception with the US Solicitor General, hearing from attorneys who have presented cases to the court, informal lunches with former law clerks, and conducting a moot court at a DC law firm.
On the other side of the country is the incredible USS Midway Museum. They offer two programs: a two-week program on the Cold War, Korea, and Vietnam, which includes the opportunity to watch the 4th of July fireworks from the deck and have a sleepover on the ship, and a one-week experience related to WWII in the Pacific.
Teaching American History supports teachers by bringing the documents and debates of America’s past into the present through free document-based seminars. You don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy one of these one-day or multi-day seminars. They are constantly adding offerings and the next one in Virginia, on modern social movements, is in April. If you are looking for more ideas, or don’t teach Social Studies, check out the Scholarships, Grants, Summer Institutes, and Opportunities for Teachers on Facebook. They share opportunities for teachers of all ages and subjects.
Anne Walker is a high school social studies teacher and an eMediaVA Ambassador.