Educators Promoting Insightful Citizenship

Are you ready for an EPIC experience?

At the core of the EPIC project is a commitment to deepening the understanding and appreciation of American history and civics. Through specialized Presidential Academy sessions, a minimum of 375 EPIC teacher leaders will be immersed in a comprehensive exploration of the nation’s past and civic duties. They will benefit from a mixture of contemporary professional learning methods, engaging book studies, and content-rich experiential immersions.

Furthermore, KEDC has outlined exciting prospects for students. Over the project’s span, approximately 200 high school students will embark on a week-long historical journey to Washington, DC. Alongside this, nearly 1,750 students will participate in the hands-on Congressional Academies, providing an immersive understanding of the U.S. Government’s Legislative Branch.

Grant Goals

1. Evidence-based, Innovative Presidential Academies (100+ per year): During each year of the project, EPIC will provide potentially up to 100+ hours of content-rich professional learning academy sessions to 375 grades 6-12 teacher leaders. In total, EPIC will serve 375 teacher leaders in eastern KY.

2. Relevant Book Studies (at least 2 per year): Both new and experienced EPIC teacher leaders will benefit from participation in relevant, facilitated book studies. These book studies will give EPIC teacher leaders opportunities for powerful professional learning built on collaboration and connection and will permit EPIC teacher leaders to explore innovative ideas. All KEDC grant leaders facilitate book studies with Google Classroom. EPIC book studies will offer endless possibilities and each discussion should ignite unlimited ideas.

3. Summer Elevation Summit (30 hours per year): An annual five-day learning event featuring national, regional, and local presenters, experts, and academic historians. In addition to the content-focused conference sessions, teacher leaders will also have access to conference sessions focused on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and integration of technology in the classroom. Finally, attendees will also gain experience by engaging in off-site historical immersion experiences that are designed to meet project goals.

4. Historical Immersion Institutes (36 hours per year): Through our partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), participating teacher leaders and their students will be able to experience on-site Historical Immersion Institutes. Through these opportunities, both EPIC teacher leaders and their students will be able to connect to the past and develop a deeper understanding of the sites they are visiting. It is one thing to see a picture of the outside of The White House. It is quite another to walk through some of the publicly-accessible rooms in The White House.