FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2001

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Peggy Binette or Margaret Lamb
Phone: 803.777.5400; FAX: 803.777.3697

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a grant of nearly $1 million to the S.C. Department of Archives & History, the University of South Carolina and Richland School District Two to improve the teaching of American history in South Carolina's schools.

Dr. Stephen W. Hefner, superintendent of schools for Richland Two, told educators gathered at E.L. Wright Middle School Tuesday (Oct. 16) that five school districts in the Lowcountry, Midlands and Upstate will benefit from a $953,361 grant from the USDE's Teaching American History Program. In cooperation with USC's public history program and the SCDAH, a professional development program will be launched with the goal of improving teachers' knowledge of American history and developing innovative methods to teach

American history to South Carolina's elementary, middle and high school students. The participating school districts in the grant program include Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester Two, Richland Two and Greenville, representing approximately one fourth of K-12 students in South Carolina. Gov. Jim Hodges praised the members of the partnership for securing the grant. "As teachers utilize historic sites, museums and archives in their communities, students will gain a greater appreciation of history and South Carolina's place in history," Hodges said.

The three-year grant calls for summer institutes to be held each year in the Lowcountry, Midlands and Upstate to serve the participating school districts. The two-week institutes will feature a master scholar and a master teacher, who will share innovative approaches to teaching American history. K-12 teachers also will learn about local resources at museums, historical sites and manuscript collections and how to incorporate them in their teaching. Weekend retreats will be held throughout the year to provide ongoing instruction.

As part of the grant, USC, the principal academic partner in the project, will establish several graduate student research assistantship positions. The USC students will work closely with a master scholar in developing materials for the summer institutes and also will serve as research assistants for teachers.