Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) announced that Cleveland and Rutherford County Schools have been awarded a $1.66 million grant over five years from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance American History education for local students.

“As the saying goes, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it,” said Congressman McHenry.  “It is important that our students have a solid understanding of the great history of this nation, and this grant will give our teachers the tools they need to make that happen.”

The funding comes from the Department of Education’s Teaching American History grant program.  Over the next three years, $999,483 of the grant will be distributed to Cleveland and Rutherford County Schools.  The remainder of the grant will be awarded over the following two years, and is contingent on the success of the program.

“This grant gives us a powerful opportunity to introduce traditional American history to elementary and middle school teachers, which will allow them to explore a lot of the hands-on history that we’ve been able to provide our high school teachers.  We hope the end result is increased student achievement and appreciation for American history,” said Robert Brown, a Crest High School social studies teacher and Teaching American History Grant Director.

The funding will be used to provide intensive training for elementary and middle school history teachers in Cleveland and Rutherford County schools.  Approximately 30 teachers in these school districts will be chosen each year to participate in two-day seminars featuring history education experts from across the country.  The program is designed to provide teachers with new knowledge and techniques to advance history education, and culminates in a week-long trip to various important historical locations for on-site training.  

This is the third such grant awarded to Cleveland and Rutherford County Schools in the last four years.  They received an $866,441 grant in 2004 and another totaling $999,387 in 2006.  

According to Mr. Brown, the students whose teachers have participated in this program have demonstrated extraordinary academic achievement to date.

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