'Crossroads' history grant received

Baylor's School of Education and Department of History have received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund a three-year project titled "Crossroads in American History." The program will provide quality professional development for history and social studies teachers in seven Central Texas school districts.

"This grant demonstrates Baylor's commitment to public service and the education of young people in Texas," said J. Wesley Null, assistant professor of education and project director.

A three-week summer institute will be held at Baylor each year of the grant, with the first one set for June 7-25. Null said the program will provide teachers with content, teaching strategies, release time, mentoring opportunities and resources for the teaching of American history. It also will facilitate interaction among teachers, higher education institutions, historians, experts in pedagogy and museum professionals to encourage an open exchange of ideas and resources, he said.

Baylor's grant was submitted through the Region 12 Education Service Center, which will carry out the proposed activities in partnership with Baylor education and history faculty, the Texas Collection, the Institute for Oral History, the Historic Waco Foundation, the University of Texas Center for American History, the Harold B. Simpson History Center at Hill College and the Czech Heritage Museum.

Kindergarten through high school teachers in the following districts are eligible: Waco, China Spring, Connally, Crawford, Cranfills Gap, Kopperl and Westphalia.

For more information, contact Null at (254) 710-6120 or at Wesley_Null@baylor.edu.