February 2015: Upcoming Events and Resources

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Washington State Council for the Social Studies Chelan Conference and Retreat

Travel to relaxing Lake Chelan to network with other Washington Social Studies teachers  to hear keynote addresses from tribal leaders in education, civil rights, and culture from all over the Pacific Northwest including:

• Swil Kanim: actor, composer, and violinist of the Lummi Nation
• ChiXapkaid (Michael Pavel): Professor of Education at the University of Oregon and collaborator on the Tribal Legacy Project with the National Park Service
• Valerie Segrest: a member of Muckleshoot tribe and native foods educator, will be one of this year’s featured keynotes; her talk will remind us that when we take better care of our land, we are taking better care of ourselves.  She’ll show us how nature models love, generosity and abundance that we can apply to our own lives. Valerie will also offer a Saturday afternoon extended, hands-on session.

• Sarah Augustine: co-director of Suriname Indigenous Health Fund and Professor of Sociology at Heritage University. Sarah's address will consider a global response to the Doctrine of Discovery, a body of legal and economic policy that undermine the human rights of indigenous peoples.  Sarah will address the impact of this legal doctrine by exploring the stories of indigenous women in the Americas.

Panelists will include Patsy Whitefoot, (Yakama, Toppenish School District) facilitator of Indian Education and community mobilization programs from pre-school to higher education, Fern Renville (Sisseton Wahpeton), Managing Director of Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theater in Seattle,  Swil Kanim (Lummi), classical violinist, story teller and facilitator with HonorWorks, Michael Vendiola (Swinomish), Director of Native Education at OSPI, ChiXapkaid (Michael Pavel), Professor of Education at the University of Oregon and Tradition Bearer, South Puget Salish and Shana Brown, teacher at Broadview Thompson School in Seattle and trainer on Since Time Immemorial. ChiXapkaid and Shana collaborated on a Tribal Legacy Project with the National Park Service.

And one more!

A group of young people ages 8 - 18 from the Yakama tribe (called the Little Swan Dancers) will perform either Friday night or Saturday morning during the meal! This will be their first visit to their ancestral homeland!

In addition, workshops will be led by:

• The Burke Museum
• Facing the Future
• The Jackson School
• The Museum of History and Industry
• The World Affairs Council
• OSPI:  Office of Indian Education
• OSPI Cadre Leaders representing ESDs from all over Washington State

This year, the Chelan Conference is Co-sponsored by the UW Jackson School of International Studies and will highlight 

The Power of Stories: From Native Washington to Global Movements

The conference will convene from 1PM on March 6 to late morning on March 8th, 2015

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Travel to Turkey!

For the 9th year in a row, Global Classroom is proud to announce that five Washington State teachers or principals will journey to Turkey this summer on an almost-all-expenses-paid study tour! This 14 day tour from July 21 to August 4 is sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Foundation, the World Affairs Councils of America, and the World Affairs Council of Seattle.

Completed applications are due at the March 11th educator workshop Debunking the Myths of Teaching about Turkey. Applicants must attend the workshop in order to be eligible for the study tour. 

Save the Date: Debunking the Myths of Teaching about Turkey
Wednesday, March 11th @ 5:30 - 8:30pm @ Billings Middle School
Cost: $20; includes Turkish cuisine, resource packet, and 3 clock hours

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Tour Bali and Lombok with the Southeast Asia Center and the Global Exploration for Educators Organization

Educators are invited to join SEAC and GEEO on a two-week adventure off the beaten path, where we'll meet locals from the Indonesian islands of Bali and Lombok and gain insight into a completely different way of life. Dates: July 25 - August 7.

Can't make the trip but want to learn more about Southeast Asia? Sign up for SEAC's new educator email list, which will be used to announce events and opportunities geared specifically at K-16 educators.

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Learn about East Asia this summer!

The East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia announce their 2015 summer seminars, held on the UW campus:

July 13-17, 2015:  Tokugawa Japan: Multiple Voices, Multiple Views  A Summer Institute for Teachers of Grades 3-8

Learn about the Tokugawa period, when shoguns ruled, foreigners were banned and cities and arts flourished creating significant economic and social change.  Work with colleagues to address State Standards such as close reading of complex text and visual materials, citing text evidence to support an opinion, applying facts from non-fiction text to compose creative narratives and building their own presentations.

Presented by Veteran K-12 Educators and EARC Seminar Leaders Patricia Burleson, Oralee Kramer and Mary Roberts

July 27-31, 2015: Reading Spaces and Places: Exploring East Asian Cities through the Visual and Literary Arts

Examine major cities in China, Japan and Korea across different eras to witness the emergence of political and cultural centers as they responded to shifting politics, religious traditions, foreign incursions and natural disasters.  Focus will be on Xi’an, China, home of the First Emperor’s Army and the terminus of the Silk Road; Nara and Kyoto, Japan, sites of the emergence of a uniquely Japanese perspective during the Heian period; and 20th-century Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo.

Presented by Melanie King, Art History faculty at Seattle Central College

All EARC NCTA seminars are free, including room and board for out of town participants. Participants will also receive extensive course materials, thirty-five clock hours, $100 for the purchase of additional teaching materials and a subscription to Education about Asia for the 2015-16 school year.

Applications will open soon! Sign up for email notifications at jsis.washington.edu/earc/email/

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Thanks for a great K8!

Thanks to everyone who attended our sold-out K8 conference at the Gates Foundation today!  We hope you had a great time exploring the beautiful Gates Visitor Center, learning about the latest on implementing the C3 Standards, and are excited to bring some lessons back to your students.

If you missed us in Seattle, remember the Spring Chelan Conference is just a month away!  We'll see you there.

Peter Lape -Curator of Archaeology, Burke Museum; Professor, Department of Anthropology,University of Washington Dr. Lape provided an overview of the Kennewick Man case, from discovery of the skeleton to the latest scientific results. He discussed the social aspects of the case, particularly its impact on relationships between Native American tribes, archaeologists, museums and government agencies.

History Day in WA is on the chopping block

Dear Social Studies Teacher,

I write as the chair of the Washington State Historical Society’s Advisory Committee for National History Day in Washington State.  Please pardon the duplication if you have received this same message from another source.

First, the background:  We all know in general terms that our state legislature will be having a very difficult time devising a balanced budget for the coming biennium.  We probably also are aware that many state agencies have been expected to identify the line items they would cut to reduce their 2015-2017 budgets by 15%.  

Our sponsor for National History Day in the State of Washington, the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) is one of those agencies.  WSHS has identified closure of the State Capital Museum and Outreach Center in Olympia and cancellation of support for all the programs housed there as part of that 15%.  One of those programs is History Day.  See the “Decision Package” for the exact language.  It is listed as PL A0 on pages 15 through 18 of TAB C here:  http://ofm.wa.gov/budget/decisionpackages/1517/390.pdf.

The somewhat good news is that History Day support has been identified as the first on the list of items that WSHS would restore if WSHS is not required to cut the full 15%. That is listed on pages 22 through 24 in TAB C as PL N0.

 What can we do to keep the budget axe from falling on 1 July 2015?

Second, the Ask:  The Legislature is in session.  The time to act is NOW.  As a matter of some urgency, please urge your representatives and senators in the state legislature to work to maintain funding for WSHS and its support for National History Day in Washington State.  The more personal the contact, the better.  A personal letter is said to garner more attention than an email or a message sent via a legislator’s website or the Legislative Hotline.  Find your legislator’s information at http://leg.wa.gov.

Third:  Expand the circle of concerned History Day supporters who contact their legislators.   Review your list of contacts to identify those who support the study of history, the education of young people, and, of course, those who specifically support History Day.  Regional coordinators, such as myself, should be asking History Day teachers, History Day judges, former History Day parents and History Day students to join in sending letters to their legislators.  Some of the most passionate supporters of History Day are the teachers who can describe the impact of their work with students and explain what makes their extra effort so worth while.  Perhaps even more passionate are the students and their parents who can offer very specific testimony on the value of the History Day experience.  Judges often have memories of students and entries that especially impressed them.

Fourth:  If the budget cut for WSHS is as severe as planned, the National History Day affiliate in this state disappears.  There is no more appropriate or capable potential sponsor with a mission to promote preservation and appreciation of our history and no likely future sponsor to support History Day.  Losing WSHS funding for History Day means we lose our state coordinator, his assistant, his office, the email address, the History Day website, the ability to offer workshops to teachers.  Gone also would be the state contest along with the opportunity to participate in the national contest.  Gone would be support for the many volunteers throughout the state who work with teachers and students as they develop the skills needed for success in their lives along with appreciation and understanding of our history.

The time to act is NOW.  The more than 6,000 students who complete History Day research projects each year need your help.

Randy Schnabel

Coordinator

North Puget Sound Regional History Day

The Bully Pulpit - On the Road

This past week, I spent a day in Olympia with five of my students testifying in support of House Bill 1294, or the Youth Voter Equality Act. The bill will extend to 16 and 17 year olds something already available to all other eligible voters: the ability to register to vote when they receive their driver’s license. After celebrating Temperance and Good Citizenship Day on January 16th, where my classes discussed the meaning and importance of good citizenship, including registering students to vote in class, this seemed like an appropriate piece of legislation for my government class to support.

Representative Berquist and my students on the Washington State House of Representatives floor.

One of my goals of my AP US Government Course is to demystify government for my students and give them opportunities to engage. While down in Olympia, Representative Steve Bergquist, the prime sponsor of the bill (and a social studies teacher who has presented at the WSCSS Fall Conference) took time out of his schedule to meet and answer questions for my students. He then went on to take them around the capitol and introduce them to other legislators, capitol staff, and even took my still unregistered students down to the Secretary of State’s office to register to vote. We then finished the day with two of my students and myself testifying in support of HB 1294 in front of the House State Government Committee. My students did a phenomenal job (and made their AP US Government teacher very proud) and were absolutely buzzing with excitement the entire van ride home. Along the trip they told me that government was, “not as scary as they thought,” and that, “they definitely wanted to get more involved.”

As an AP US Government teacher, I try and always come back to the six proven practices of civic education. I hope that by combining my students’ coursework with actual government experience will inspire them to be active citizens. We often discuss the old maxim, “old people vote and young people don’t,” and the fact that young people are underrepresented in government due to their lack of engagement. Hopefully with my work with my students, and the great work that is happening in social studies classrooms across the state, we can help change that maxim to something less catchy like, “everybody votes.”

Student reflections on meaning of citizenship for Temperance and Good Citizenship Day

While school should prepare students for college and career, it must prepare them for citizenship. They must leave our schools understanding their rights and ready to assume their responsibilities.

Last day to register for the K8!

Tomorrow the 25th is the last day to register for the K8 Conference and we are almost sold out!  There are only 6 seats left, so register tonight!  Details of this great conference including info about our tour of the Gates Foundation,  a discussion and grade level breakout sessions concerning implementation of the Social Studies C3 standards, and our keynote speaker can all be found by following the link below.

Also, just in case you missed it, the Kennewick Man has been in the news this past week. We'll have Peter Lape, the Curator of Archaeology for the Burke Museum (where the Kennewick Man is kept) at the conference to provide an overview of the case, and the latest results.

January 2015: Upcoming Events and Resources

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2015 STUDY CANADA Summer Institute for K12 Educators 

Across the Salish Sea: Canada-US Connections in the Pacific Northwest

June 22-June 26, 2015 in Seattle, WA and Victoria, BC Canada

$600 Registration Cost – Some Travel Awards Available to Registrants

Registration is now open to participate in "STUDY CANADA", a 3 quarter credit/40 clock hour professional development course offered by Western Washington University that provides teachers with an excellent foundation for teaching about our northern neighbor. For almost 40 years, teachers, librarians, social studies supervisors, and education faculty from across the U.S. have attended this renowned program to develop a better understanding of Canada, gain global perspectives of civic issues, and receive numerous resources for curriculum development.

The program’s subtitle reflects the workshop’s additional focus on trans-border issues in the Pacific Northwest. Participants will not only learn from distinguished faculty and government officials but also experience Canada’s culture, history and environment through unique activities not possible through regular tourism. The registration cost includes tuition for credits/clock hours (if needed), instruction, 4 nights’ hotel accommodation, breakfast daily, most course activities and one-way transportation from Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC on the Victoria Clipper ferry.

A draft 2015  agenda, detailed program guide and feedback as well as photos from previous workshops can be viewed online. To register, simply download the form and mail it with full payment to Western Washington University as instructed online. Payments by credit card can be faxed to a secure line. Check your eligibility for a $200 travel award and, once you have registered, apply separately to tina.storer@wwu.edu as instructed.  Also contact Tina Storer for a personal response to any program and financial support inquiries.

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2015 Choices Leadership Institute

The Middle East in Transition

July 13-17, 2015

The Choices Program, Brown University, Providence, RI

For more information and an application:

Applications are due by Monday, March 16, 2015.

The Choices Leadership Institute is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Choices Program’s award-winning curriculum materials and approach, and to plan strategies for introducing the Choices Program to your colleagues.  Participants will examine strategies for engaging secondary students in the study of contested international issues, share best practices with other dedicated teachers, and explore methods for conducting effective professional development.

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Showcase Schedule

Social studies showcases provide a glimpse inside our public school classrooms where, on a daily basis, teachers and students are engaged in the work of teaching and learning. These showcases focus on what is arguably the most important classroom work of all: preparing students to become enlightened, engaged, and effective citizens.

Held twice each school year, these showcases provide an opportunity to learn from the success and challenges faced by individual teachers as they use the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework* to teach toward Washington State Social Studies Learning Standards. Each showcase focuses on the work of an individual teacher and classroom within the context of a specific school and district. Through this lens, we are able to shine a light on social studies in action.

2014-15:

Union Gap School District: January 2015

Evergreen School District: May 2015

2015-16:

Mead School District: Fall 2015

Ferndale School District: Spring 2016

To attend a social studies showcase or host one in your district, please contact Carol Coe, Social Studies Program Supervisor, OSPI (carol.coe@k12.wa.us).

*The C3 Framework is a powerful tool for enhancing social studies instruction. With inquiry at its core, the four dimensions of the C3 Framework center on the use of questions to spark student curiosity, guide instruction, and deepen investigation. The Framework is aligned with Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies; it challenges students to acquire rich social studies content and to rigorously apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings. 

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Innovative Implementation of the Common Core in secondary Social Studies

Do you teach social studies? Need ideas on how the Common Core State Standards all fit in with the curriculum? The Puget Sound UniServ Council will host a training focused on Innovative Implementation of the Common Core in secondary Social Studies. The training will be held from 5-8 p.m. March 3 at the Washington Education Association office in Federal Way. The session will be led by highly recommended members of our Association.

Registration cost is $20 for WEA members ($10 for WEA members in the Puget Sound UniServ Council) and $50 for non members. The fee covers training, materials, and a light dinner.

Three clock hours will be available for $5 at the door (free for members in Puget Sound UniServ).
  
Registration is required and space is limited!

If you have questions, please contact Albina Terpay or call 253-852-2002.

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2015 EU Studies Summer Program in Brussels

The European Union Centers of Excellence of Seattle and Wisconsin, and the the Institute for European Studies of the Free University of Brussels are proud to announce the 2015 EU Studies Summer Program in Brussels

July 6 - August 7, 2015
Application forms and info available here:

The European Union Centers of Excellence at the University of Washington and University of Wisconsin are pleased to announce the 2015 EU Studies Summer Program in Brussels, hosted and co-organized by the Institute for European Studies at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). This program is supported by grant funds from the European Commission.

This is an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students pursuing degrees at US and Canadian universities to study the EU up close with leading experts from both sides of the Atlantic; and to gain an understanding of the "real world" of EU institutions through discussions with officials and site visits in Brussels, the political capital of the European Union. The program includes site visits to EU institutions in Brussels and Luxembourg, along with several special group activities and meals. This five-week program will run from July 6th to August 7th, 2015. Applications are due February 6th, 2015.

Program Courses and Credits:

The program includes two courses: "Current EU Policy Debates", taught by Dr. Joseph Jupille (Political Science, University of Colorado at Boulder), and "EU Institutions: Views from inside the Brussels Complex" taught by Dr. Peter Hobbing (former Principal Administrator, European Commission). In addition, students will participate in a European Union simulation. The two courses are 5 quarter credits each and the EU simulation is 2 credits. Students will be awarded 12 UW quarter credits upon successful completion of the program.

Costs and Financial Aid:

The program fee for 2015 is $3,500. The program fee includes instructional costs and program trips & events. The program fee does not include airfare, meals, textbooks, personal expenses or the fees charged by IPE: $300 for UW students or $500 for non-UW students.

A limited number of grants from the EU Center of Excellence are available on a competitive basis to students on this program. UW students are additionally eligible to apply for the quarterly International Programs & Exchanges (IPE) scholarship. Non-UW students may also qualify for funding from their home institution.

The application deadline is February 6th, 2015.

For any questions regarding this program please contact:

Phillip Shekleton
EUC/CWES
Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies
120 Thomson Hall, Box 353650
Seattle, WA 98195-3650
Email: euc@uw.edu

Welcome to The Bully Pulpit

As the Washington State Council for the Social Studies heads into 2015, I am excited about what lies ahead. This past November I took over as president after serving as vice president for the past two years. During that time we hosted the NCSS national conference in 2012, revised our Constitution and by-laws, and saw our membership and conference attendance grow significantly. We established a closer connection with OSPI, regional educational services districts and collaborated with other statewide education content associations around the implementation of Common Core State Standards.  Most importantly, we launched our new website which has made us both more responsive in communicating events and initiatives in our state to our members and allowed us to provide high quality resources through our lesson plan library.

While we have had some significant changes, we still remain committed to being the preeminent provider of social studies professional development in Washington. With our recent growth in attendance, we know that teacher are enthusiastic for events like our Fall, Winter K-8, and Spring Chelan Conferences. These will always be our priority and we hope that we can continue to work with our membership to continue to make these special events.

The WSCSS community together in Chelan

Teaching is often times a solitary profession. While we are encouraged to connect and collaborate, there is often little or no time to do so. While we have been a leader in high quality social studies professional development, we recognize the need for social studies teachers to meet, learn and share beyond our three conferences. Our goal is that the WSCSS can lead the way in creating a more dynamic, interconnected social studies community.

We hope that the WSCSS website will be the place where that community finds its center. Amazing social studies teachers are spread all across our state and we want nothing more than to bring them together and help them share all that they do to make history, economic, civic, psychology and sociology come alive. When social studies teachers are looking for lesson plans, professional development opportunities, or high quality conferences, we want them to come to us first. We encourage members to comment, to share ideas, and to connect with other dedicated educators that want to improve their practice in order to serve their students. We will strive to make our website to be a fluid and engaging space where teachers come to school on Monday wanting to check in and see what they may have missed. We will not rest until all social studies teachers in the state have the WSCSS bookmarked on their web browser.

One of the new things I am initiating as president of the WSCSS is a regular blog post called The Bully Pulpit. I hope that throughout the year, I can continue to keep our members up to date with what the President and the WSCSS Executive Board are doing between our Fall, Winter and Spring conferences. We have some dedicated volunteers that are advocating for social studies education at the state, local, and school level, and I want to make sure their efforts are recognized. Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with all of you in the future.

Continue to follow our twitter feed, check in on our Facebook page, and be sure to subscribe to The Latest News. The WSCSS is going to new places and I hope you are ready to join us on the journey.

December 2014: Upcoming Events and Resources

I Am Troy Davis Community Book Discussion

Have events in Ferguson prompted thought on the Criminal Justice System in the United States?  Join with WSCSS teachers in a national conversation about the Death Penalty and the Criminal Justice System on December 10th, U.N. Human Rights Day.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 (6:30-7:30 PM)

Greenwood Public Library

8016 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle

This event is not sponsored by the Seattle Public Library 

On September 21, 2011 Troy Davis was put to death by the State of Georgia, despite compelling evidence of his innocence. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world protested his execution.  How did one man capture the world’s imagination and become the face for the campaign to end the death penalty?

I Am Troy Davis tells the intimate story of a man caught up in an inexorable tragedy.  From a childhood in racially charged Savannah; to the confused events that led to the 1989 murder of a police officer; to Davis’s arrest and conviction and two-decade fight to prove his innocence, I Am Troy Davis takes us on a journey inside a broken system where life and death hang in the balance.

Through the prism of this personal story, educators might help students examine the daily realities of our justice system, as measured against the constitutional guarantees of due process, equal protection, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.  The discussion will take advantage of the discussion/study guide developed by Equal Justice USA in partnership with Amnesty International USA and the NAACP.

Questions and additional information: ed.puchalla@mercerislandschools.org

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Register for CSTP Teacher Leadership Conference -- Deadline is Apr 11

The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession is excited to provide and revive the National Board Teacher Leadership Conference! This conference is focused on developing and enhancing the leadership skills of NBCTs using CSTP's Teacher Leadership Framework. The conference will include NBCT keynote speakers and presenters, discussion on relevant and interesting topics and leadership opportunities to think about, as well as other special highlights and goodies. The deadline to register is Friday, April 11. 

WHEN: Group A - May 2 - 3, 2014 OR Group B - May 3 - 4, 2014

WHERE: Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop, WA

COST: $125 per NBCT, which includes 1 night of lodging (shared), lunch and dinner on day 1 and breakfast and lunch on day 2

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND: This is a limited opportunity available to National Board teachers who work in a challenging school and/or have their National Board certificate in a STEM-related area.
Registration is open on a first come, first served basis. Visit the Conference Website to register and find out more information.  

P.S. If you can't make it to Sun Mountain, stay tuned for information in May about registering for the Teacher Leadership Conference on Nov. 21-22 or 22-23 at Skamania Lodge along the Columbia Gorge. 

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Russian/American Educators' Exchange 2015
now accepting applications

American Friends of Russian Folklore invites middle- and high-school teachers to apply for the 2015 season of the Russian/American Educators’ Exchange.

Participants travel to rural Russia to collect Russian folklore by filming holiday celebrations, recording local singers, interviewing villagers about traditional lore, and photographing local handicrafts. They experience Russian village life first-hand, living in a village house and eating the local food.

They also visit Russian rural schools, where they will make presentations about American folklore and meet with Russian teachers to discuss matters of mutual professional interest.Upon return,the American teachers will create and share curriculum materials incorporating some element of the Russian folklore they collected.

The three folklore expeditions are timed to coincide with important holidays of the Russian traditional calendar:

• Expedition 1: Easter in Volgograd province, Danilov district. April 8- April 21 2015

• Expedition 2: Pentecost/Trinity Week in Smolensk province, Sevsk district.
 May 21 - June 3 2015

• Expedition 3: Dormition Day traditions and first day of school traditions in Bryansk province. August22 - September 4 2015

Knowledge of Russian is useful, but not required.Translators will be provided.

The program grant covers all expedition travel, food and lodging, including an orientation meeting before departure and flights between New York and Moscow. Participants are responsible for obtaining their visas (around $300) and for travel between their homes and JFK.

All educators who work with middle- or high-school students or curriculum are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to those whose schools are in rural areas --- Census Bureau Locale Codes 41,42 or 43.

Registration for each trip will close 60 days before the trip start date.


For details and application instructions, visit russianfolklorefriends.org or email us at info@russianfolklorefriends.org

This opportunity is presented by American Friends of Russian Folklore, a 501©3public benefit corporation.

Funding comes from the US-Russia Peer-to-Peer Dialog Program, with additional support from the Russian and East European Institute of Indiana University.

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Attn: History and Social Studies Teachers of Washington, Grades 5 – 12

The Colonial Dames of Washington is once again pleased to offer the following scholarships for  your program development and enhancement.

Teacher Scholarships

Teacher scholarships must be applied for by March 17, 2015 and must be used by December 3, 2015.  Please note that the website should be corrected soon to reflect the same date as the application.

 Any history teacher or support personnel who teaches grades 5-12 in Washington State is eligible to apply, and may apply in more than one category. The maximum amount a scholarship can receive by each category is $1,000.00.  Categories for scholarships include:

• Continuing education relating to American history

• Curriculum development

• Travel & tuition to attend educational seminars relating to American history

• Teacher enrichment project/program

• Classroom/Curriculum Supplies

To access the scholarship application and to see what recipients have done in the past to enhance their programs visit our website at  www.nscdawa.org   Don’t miss this opportunity.

Contact is Peggy Paige-Most at mostp@msn.com

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Washington State Global Issues Network (WAGIN) Conference

As many of you know, for the past four years, students and teachers at Chief Sealth International High School have organized a weeklong festival called World Water Week. This year we are doing something new and exciting: the first annual Washington State Global Issues Network (WAGIN) Conference

March 6-8, 2015 (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) we plan to host a few hundred middle and high school students at Chief Sealth IHS. We are partnering with Global Issues Network (GIN), a nonprofit that supports Global Issues conferences in Latin America and Asia. They have worked with a couple of independent schools in the U.S., but our conference will be the first international youth conference of its kind in the United States. The latest GIN conference took place in Buenos Aires in late October. You can watch videos of the student workshop sessions on the conference YouTube channel

Here's what WAGIN 2015 will look like:

 *   We will have some school-wide events and activities during the week leading up the conference. The content of the conference includes water, but is much broader. See our conference website<http://global-issues-network.org/wagin/ for the list of 20 global issues.

 *   All students who attend the conference will present workshop sessions about action projects that they have carried out (connected to one or more of the 20 global issues). All workshops are youth-led.

 *   Keynotes (2-3 per day). We are in the process of inviting some exciting speakers.

 *   Throughout the weekend, students will meet in "Global Villages" - these are groups of 10 students, all from different schools, who will have small group discussions (facilitated by youth).

 *   Each team of students that attend (2-6 in a team) will create a 1-2 minute trailer for their workshop. These will be shown as part of a film festival throughout the weekend.

 *   There will be a Global Action Fair with nonprofit organizations who carry out work related to the 20 global issues. Our 9th grade students will also be sharing their Water Ecology and Sustainability Action Team (WEST) Projects at this time.

 *   We are inviting schools from around the region to participate. We will also be hosting several schools from Latin America and Asia that are part of the GIN network.

 *   There are over 100 leadership roles for students for planning and implementing the conference. Several student committees have been meeting for the past two months.

 

Checking Out the Library

With less than a day left in Boston,  we decided to check out the John F Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library. I have never been to a presidential library,  so I was very excited about the chance to visit one. I have to admit that I was not disappointed. The time of the Kennedy Administration was one filled with world changing events and it is extensively chronicled in the Museum. It would be a wonderful place to bring my students, but I will have to wait for a closer library. 

This is a very appropriate ending to our trip to NCSS and Boston. From here we go to the airport and then back to Seattle. We appreciate all of the people that took the time to keep up with us throughout our time here. We hope that this will encourage more WSCSS members to take advantage of the great experience NCSS has to offer. We also hope that if you cannot make it to NCSS, you check out some of our WSCSS events like our Winter K-8 Conference and our Spring Conference in Chelan. While we may not be able to offer historical Boston as a backdrop,  we offer high quality sessions, presenters, and activities to learn and connect with teachers statewide.  

We look forward to New Orleans in 2015, but we also look forward to seeing many of you at one of our WSCSS conferences before then.