Application

Summer seminars and institutes are designed primarily for full- or part-time K-12 educators who teach in public, charter, independent, and religiously affiliated schools, or as home schooling parents. At least three seminar spaces and five institute spaces must be reserved for teachers who are new to the profession (those who have been teaching for five years or less).

Participants must be United States citizens, residents of U.S. jurisdictions, or foreign nationals who have been residing in the United States or its territories for at least the three years immediately preceding the application deadline. U.S. citizens teaching abroad at U.S. chartered institutions are also eligible to participate. Foreign nationals teaching abroad are not eligible to participate.

Participants may not be delinquent in the repayment of federal debt (e.g., taxes, student loans, child support payments, and delinquent payroll taxes for household or other employees). Individuals may not apply to participate in a Summer Seminar or Institute whose director is a family member, who is affiliated with the same institution, who has served as an academic advisor to the applicant, or who has led a previous NEH summer program attended by the applicant.

Individuals may not apply to participate in a Summer Seminar or Institute if they have been debarred or suspended by any federal department or agency

A selection committee is comprised of the project directors and two or more colleagues, at least one of whom is teacher educator. They evaluate all complete applications to select a group of NEH Summer Scholars and identify alternates.

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Effectiveness and commitment as a teacher/educator;
• Intellectual interests as they relate to the topic of the seminar or institute;
• Special perspectives, skills, or experiences that would contribute to the program;
• Evidence that participation will have a long-term impact on applicant’s teaching.

Applicants will provide:

• Demographic questions
• Two-page (max) resume
• Contact information for two references
• Four essay questions:
  1. What is the purpose of teaching social studies? How should students be different as a result of your social studies course? (250 words max)
  2. Describe your current challenge(s) in teaching Civil Rights and/or constitutional issues to your students. (250 words max)
  3. Provide an example of how would currently teach Civil Rights and/or constitutional issues/cases and how you are attempting to address the challenges you stated in #2. (500 words max)
  4. How specifically would attending this institute on civil rights and Supreme Court cases improve your students’ learning? (250 words max)