A Year of Impact: Celebrating 2024 with the Education team at the National Constitution Center

Dear Educators,  

At the start of 2024, I had the distinct honor of joining the National Constitution Center’s Education team as the new Vice President of Civic Education. As we close out the year, I’d like to highlight some of the team’s achievements in 2024 and share insight into the ways we will be investing even more in supporting you and your students in 2025, and beyond.  

Constitution 101 in Partnership With Khan Academy 

On Constitution Day, we launched the student-led version of our popular teacher-led Constitution 101 course in partnership with Khan Academy thanks to the generosity of the Yass Foundation. This self-paced course offers nine engaging units, in which students explore critical constitutional debates shaping our nation today. If you have not yet had a chance to explore the course, I encourage you to check it out. 

Inaugural Constitutional Fellowship  

Our student-led Constitution 101 course on Khan Academy was piloted by our first cohort of Constitutional Fellows. We’re so grateful to this exceptional group for providing valuable feedback, piloting the course in their classrooms, and sharing detailed reports on their experiences—offering critical insights into the educational impact of these materials. 

A Major Investment in Professional Learning 

In October, we received a generous gift from the Sutherland Family, enabling our team to deliver more professional learning programs at the Center and across the country. The gift will also support our Teacher Advisory Board and Teacher Advisory Council, as well as new educational programs and resources related to the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. We are thrilled to be able to offer more professional learning and high-quality resources to more educators nationwide. 

New Professional Learning Program: Weekend Workshops 

We launched a new professional learning program, Weekend Workshops, with the generous support of the Bezos Family Foundation and the Lilly Foundation. These programs are designed to deepen understanding of constitutional topics while fostering collaboration with peers nationwide. Receiving positive feedback from attendees is always a highlight for us: 

"I deeply appreciated the opportunity to attend the workshop...the organization and extensive planning made the weekend go so smoothly...It is difficult to keep groups on task, on schedule, and working together to achieve goals - you were all seamless in these endeavors." –Beth D., History Teacher, Washington

A Banner Year for Scholar Exchanges 

Our Scholar Exchange program reached over 560 classrooms and more than 13,000 students across 40 states this year. Educators routinely tell us that their students who participated in the program have continued discussing the topic long after the Exchange and have made impactful connections to their own lives and interests. You can find upcoming topics and instructions for scheduling an Exchange on our website.

In 2025, here are some new offerings we look forward to sharing with you: 

• In fall 2025, we will launch a middle school version of our Constitution 101 course. Our second cohort of Constitutional Fellows is already hard at work supporting the course’s development.
• We will expand our professional learning programs both at the Center and across the country. You can sign up to attend programs via our Professional Learning Calendar. 
• We will also launch a Civic Toolkit and Interactive Declaration of Independence ahead of America’s Semiquincenntenial in 2026. More on these resources will be shared soon! 

It has been a joy to get to know many of you in person and online. I look forward to meeting even more of you in the new year! Thank you for continuing to be a source of inspiration and motivation for myself and the entire NCC Education team. We simply could not do our work without you. 

We hope you enjoy a restful and joyful holiday season. 

Sincerely, 

Julie Silverbrook 

Vice President of Civic Education 

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About the National Constitution Center’s Educational Resources 

The National Constitution Center provides K-12 curriculum, professional learning, and student programs that make constitutional education engaging and relevant. Learn more at: constitutioncenter.org/education.

Constitution 101 | Professional Development | Events Calendar

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