War, Justice and Human Dignity: Exploring Humanitarian Law Institute for Teachers – July 7-10, 2008. Explore the topic of international humanitarian law through an engaging, hands-on workshop. Lessons built on historical and contemporary situations view war through the eyes of victims, witnesses, and combatants. Students learn about the horrors of war and the possibilities for relieving suffering. Through brainstorming, large- and small-group discussions, reflective writing, class debates and role plays, students explore the plight of war refugees, landmine victims, and soldiers caught in often agonizing dilemmas. Students grapple with the same issues and questions that challenge world leaders, and learn how to listen respectfully and take another's point of view. They are better able to see the humanity in others, even in their enemies. Invited guest speakers include experts on humanitarian law and assistance. EHL is aligned with the NCSS standards. Online registration: https://www.signup4.net/public/ap.aspx?EID=WARJ10E&OID=50.
Questions: EHL@usa.redcross.org
We would like to call your attention to an article and six-part video interview with Holocaust survivor Alexander Lebenstein, who lives in the Richmond area. Mr. Lebenstein, the only Jewish person from his hometown of Haltern am See, Germany, to survive the Holocaust, once felt such hatred for his homeland that he fantasized about bombing it. But in recent years, after a new generation of students reached out to him, he has developed a healing relationship with the town. Now, he's about to return to Germany to be made an honorary citizen of Haltern, where a school is being named after him. Times-Dispatch special correspondent Alberta Lindsey and photographer/videographer Alexa Welch Edlund interviewed Mr. Lebenstein at length about his experiences, and we think the result is something that many teachers and students, particularly in history classes, would be interested in. Here is a link to the video series and online version of the story: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/holocaust.html
Northern Virginia High School Students Take Top Prizes in National Essay Contest on “Being an American”. Arlington , VA Andy Rys, a senior at Oakton High School, has won this year’s “Being an American” Essay Contest sponsored by the non-profit Bill of Rights Institute, Arlington, VA. Rys and his sponsoring teacher, Erica Jacobs , each received a $5,000 cash award. The $2,500 second place prizes went to Jim Irby, a senior at Richmond-based Douglas S. Freeman High School and his sponsoring teacher, Tracy Bonday-deleon. The $1,250 third place prizes were awarded to Loudoun High School Senior Olivia Colville and teacher Susan Stevens.
The NEH Landmarks of American History Landmarks Workshop, “James Madison and Constitutional Citizenship,” takes place on the grounds of Montpelier, a 2,700 acre estate located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For more information please visit montpelier.org.
The Patrick Henry Legacy program recently helped sponsor the production of a documentary, Liberty or Death, about Patrick Henry and the American Revolution. Through the generosity of our donors, we are now able to provide a DVD copy to teachers who can make use of them in their classrooms - absolutely free of cost or obligation. For more information, please visit our Liberty or Death web page at
http://www.patrickhenrycenter.com/pages.aspx?pageid=22
or contact Samantha Hagan, Program Director at samanthaphc@aol.com or 703-691-2301.
See the link to Professional Development and find great opportunities for the Civil War Presevation Trust, Virtual Virginia and the Summer Teach Institute.
