By Ken Vogler, Primary Investigator
On Saturday March 22, the grant team hosted its second Spring Workshop with the participants/teachers from Sumter and Darlington County School Districts.
The 2025 Spring Workshop began with Guest Speaker—Mr. Thad Westbrook’s (Chair, Board of Trustees- University of South Carolina) address focusing on the importance of educators to not only teach students the principles contained in our country’s founding documents, but also to help them become free thinkers. To that end, Mr. Westbrook announced the creation of the University of South Carolina’s Center for American Civic Leadership and Scholarship. This Center will provide students at the University of South Carolina the opportunity to learn more about American government and history, American political tradition, leadership skills development, public service, and civil discourse; and, through its work, elevate civics education in South Carolina.
Following Mr. Westbrook’s remarks, grant participants Michelle Sutton (Sumter School District), Kayla Kerman (Sumter School District), Chad Hoshour (Sumter School District), Matt Wilt (Sumter School District), Amber McCoy (Darlington County School District), Michelle Greene (Sumter School District), and Adam Schwartz (Sumter School District) presented their storyboards to attendees. (These storyboards, focusing on American history, are curriculum tools designed to be used by educators and are available, free of charge, on this website.)
Mr. Chris Paicely (Project Videographer) then presented how to link video into storyboards. For many participants, they will be linking videos created from this summer’s travel study into the storyboards they will be creating next fall. (These storyboards, like the storyboards created last year, will also be housed on the grant’s website, for all to use—free of charge.)
Just before the lunch break, Ms. Jessica Escorcia (Project Manager) reviewed with participants the grant’s upcoming activities and due dates
After lunch, Dr. Kendall Deas (Civic Engagement Coordinator) provided grant participants with classroom civic engagement activities and resources. (This was the continuation of the civic engagement overview presentation he gave at last year’s Spring Workshop.) Participants will be conducting civic engagement projects with their students this year and reporting on the results during the grant’s education course in the fall semester. In addition, ten participants will be presenting the results of their classroom civic engagement projects during next year’s Spring Workshop.
Dr. Jerry Mitchell (Instructional Consultant) then gave a presentation titled “Developing Democratic Citizens Through Geography.” During this presentation, Dr. Mitchell stressed the importance of geography in effective civic participation because communities are organized in defined locations reflecting distinctive social and physical characteristics. In addition, participants were asked to consider (and reflect on) how geography and civics intersect the issues of scale, environment, and globalization.
Dr. Kendall Deas (Civic Engagement Coordinator) then concluded the 2025 Spring Workshop with remarks and addressed questions from grant participants.
The 2025 Spring Workshop was very informative and engaging. Participants were excited to present their work and eager to begin the next stages of the grant program.
