A teacher at Alexandria City High School has been awarded a $5,000 grant to create a project commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year.
ACHS math teacher Essie Jones is one of 51 educators nationwide to be selected for a Teaching America250 Award. The grant will allow her to “design and implement an engaging learning experience that helps students explore the history of America’s founding and the ideals of the Declaration of Independence,” according to Alexandria City Public Schools.
Jones sees the Declaration of Independence as the ultimate breakup letter from America’s Founding Fathers to Great Britain.
“I think it’s very, very important for students to actually read [the Declaration of Independence],” Jones, who applied for the grant last fall, said.
Through the grant from the Jack Miller Center, a national civics education nonprofit, Jones said ACHS students will be able to participate in an essay and art contest this April, with the chance to win monetary prizes — $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $50 for third place.
Future plans also include trips to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the National Archives, where students can view the original Declaration of Independence. She also hopes to host a lunch including the city’s elected leaders.
“We’re trying to get teachers to come together and create thematic units where we work together across subject areas to provide authentic experiences for students,” Jones said. “What a wonderful way to connect project-based learning to the 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence.”
Recipients of the Teaching America250 award represent all 50 states and D.C.
