Reaching Across: History, Humanities and the Promise of America (IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL!)
Tuesday July 12 – Wednesday July 13
IN PERSON at the Rizzo Center Chapel Hill – OR Virtual via Zoom
Event Overview
Poet Amanda Gorman wrote, “Being American is more than a pride we inherit. It’s the past we step into and how we repair it.” Yet, the concept of critically examining our comprehensive past as a nation, and the lingering impact of our shared history on the present, has become fraught with polarization and controversy – leaving many K-12 and community college educators across the state feeling overwhelmed, if not intimidated, about what to teach and how to teach it. But to fulfill the promise of America, we must learn to better “reach across”, whether across a political aisle or across a dinner table, and use our commonalities as an entry point to civil discourse and courageous conversations.
Practicing 8th – 12th grade teachers, as well as Community College educators, are invited to join Carolina K-12 and NC Humanities for a FREE and unique exploration of these concepts on Tuesday July 12 – Wednesday July 13 – either by joining us in person at the beautiful Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill or participating via Zoom!
Our engaging two-day agenda will include top scholars, authors, and performers who will bring to light the challenges we have faced and are facing, with an eye towards elevating that which disarms and unites us in potential paths forward. From thinking about music, to foodways, to the power of story, teachers will engage with a broad potpourri of themes and ideas that ideally leave each participant inspired to learn more, while reinvigorating and reconnecting you to your own role as a scholar yourself.
Click here to view the tentative agenda, with presenter and session details.
- The opportunity to spend two days engaging with meaningful topics, themes and pedagogies, with access to top scholars, authors, performers, etc.
- A copy of Prius or Pickup? How the Answers to Four Simple Questions Explain America’s Great Divide
- Get your book signed in an opening session with co-author Dr. Jonathan Weiler!
- Inspiration from and pedagogical exploration with award-winning performer Dr. Sonny Kelly
- “Sounds of Freedom: From Slavery to Civil Rights,” a performance by acclaimed vocalist Mary D. Williams (teachers will receive a free copy of Mrs. Williams’s CD of spirituals and freedom songs)
- Training in & resources for leading controversial issues discussions
- (In-person attendees only) A private screening of “Tales of the American South,” a full-dome short film, to be followed by a discussion with the film’s producer & legendary Southern folklorist, Dr. Bill Ferris
In-Person Attendees Receive:
- Your choice of single or double occupancy accommodations at the five-star Rizzo Center in Chapel Hill (for applicants residing 60 or more round-trip miles from 150 Dubose Home Ln, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27517)
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- On your application, please note whether you prefer a single-occupancy room, OR if you would like to sign up with a friend/colleague and share a double Queen room.
- Candidates who do not need accommodations, or who request a double occupancy room (with two Queens), have a slightly elevated chance of being accepted.
- Each double-occupancy applicant will need to list their preferred roommate’s name on the application when applying. Please do NOT apply for a double occupancy unless you have confirmed with your preferred roommate first, as they will also need to note this same preference in their application. You should each submit your applications on the same day & no later than 24 hrs. apart. (Failure to do so can delay review of your application and result in spaces being filled.)
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- Plated lunch & snacks each day, and dinner in downtown Chapel Hill at 411 West on Tues. July 12
- 1.5 CEUs
- A small mileage supplement is available for teachers in need traveling more than 60 miles round trip (.30 per mile upon request; provided post-event; teachers commuting each day will add all mileage together.)
- The important chance to meet, share ideas and recharge with other teachers from all around the state – both in the room and virtually!
Virtual Attendees Receive:
- Materials distributed at the event will be mailed to you post-event.
- 1.0 CEUs
- The important chance to meet, share ideas and recharge with other teachers from all around the state via Zoom! (Our goal is to make this a truly “hybrid” event, where our virtual and in-person rooms are merged as much as possible!)
This program is made possible by funding from the North Carolina Humanities, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This event is part of the national “A More Perfect Union” initiative, which administered and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Registration Requirements
- This event is open to any currently practicing 8th-12th grade teacher or Community College educators in North Carolina who plan to teach in the 2022-23 school year, and who are interested in integrating workshop themes/content into your classroom. Priority will be given to registrants from counties designated as rural or Title I.
- In-person attendees must be able to attend ALL HOURS of EACH DAY of the event in order to register, including Tuesday’s dinner. (Conflicts that require leaving early, arriving late, or missing any session, activity or meal cannot be accommodated.) Please refer to the agenda here for specific start and end times for all sessions.
- Virtual attendees must also be able to attend all sessions, other than meals, breaks and Tuesday evening’s activities. (Please refer to the agenda here for specific start and end times for all sessions.) We also request that virtual attendees come prepared to participate with camera on and audio on at various points throughout the event.
- BEFORE applying, please ensure you have checked your schedule and are committed to attending if accepted, whether requesting virtual or in-person participation. Cancellations create additional administrative work and can result in materials/funding waste.
- We will follow up-to-date CDC guidelines that are in place as of the event date. (Currently, masking at UNC-CH is optional.) If you have questions or health concerns, please feel free to contact us at CarolinaK12@unc.edu.
- Due to high demand, enrollment is not guaranteed. If your application is accepted for either IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL participation, you will receive notice via e-mail. A response is required to confirm your intent to attend & finalize your enrollment.
- Expect a response to your application within 2 weeks of your application, and no later than June 1.
- Please make sure you add the domain “@unc.edu” to your safe senders list to ensure notification of acceptance or wait-list goes through.
- If after June 1 you have not received a response and a message is not in your junk/spam folder, please contact us at CarolinaK12@unc.edu.
Cancellation Policy (Virtual AND In-Person)
In the event that a cancellation is unavoidable, we request that you cancel at least 2 weeks in advance of the event start date to allow us the time to fill your spot. (This is for both virtual and in-person registrants.) We are committed to providing services to hardworking teachers for free, but failure to cancel, last minute cancellations, and “no shows” result in extreme waste and prevents wait-listed teachers from attending.
We are operating in times when it is normal to sign up for virtual events & make last minute decisions not to participate, but we ask that virtual applicants – given our plans to make this hybrid event interactive & to purchase/mail supplies to you – also treat their registration as a commitment to attend, unless in case of an emergency.
Credit Card Policy (for IN PERSON attendees only)
IN-PERSON attendees (whether accommodations are needed or not) will need to provide a credit card number via phone or fax to secure your space. YOUR CARD WILL NOT BE CHARGED and NO HOLD is placed on your card to participate in this FREE event. However, failure to cancel/participate – which results in food waste, hotel fees, and prevents wait-listed teachers from participating, may result in a $75 “no show” fee applied to your credit card (except in the case of emergencies or sudden illness.) This charge is ONLY applied for a registrant who does not cancel their registration and/or does not show up. We take your privacy very seriously; all credit card information is kept in a locked safe and then shredded after the training date. Credit card information should NOT be sent via e-mail. If you have any questions, or do not have access to a credit card, please contact Paul Bonnici at bonnici@unc.edu or 919.962.1544.
Acceptances are rolling, and the application will close on June 1.These forms will take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Answers cannot be saved, so make sure you have all of the information requested before starting. Please remember that due to extremely high demand, filling out this form does not guarantee your registration.
