New England Teachers Selected for 2007 Strom Teaching Award

April 4, 2007

BROOKLINE, MA (April 4, 2007) - Facing History and Ourselves is proud to announce the recipients of the 2007 Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award. In its second year, this award, named for the organization's founder and executive director Margot Stern Strom, honors outstanding local educators by supporting new classroom projects related to the work of Facing History and Ourselves.

"This is a great opportunity for us to formally recognize and honor the work of these deserving, local teachers, while providing them with the support to carry out new and exciting projects incorporating Facing History and Ourselves," said Nina Fialkow, who, along with husband David, sponsored the award.

All educators in New England, from public and private schools, who work with children in grades 6-12 and who have taken at least one Facing History and Ourselves institute, seminar, workshop, or online course were eligible to apply. Each applicant proposed a new and innovative classroom project for the 2007-2008 school year. The five selected teachers will receive grants ranging from $500 to $1000 that to aid in their implementation.

This year's recipients are: Neema Avashia of McCormack Middle School, who plans to develop a classroom computer lab that will give students the opportunity to engage in global communication; Daisy Frederick of Little House Alternative School, who will purchase cameras for students to document their community service projects, and help them learn practical technology skills; Marisa Jackson Hedges of Swampscott High School, who plans to attend the gacaca hearings in Rwanda in order to bring an enhanced understanding of Rwandan history and transitional justice into her classroom; Jeffrey Krieger of Ipswich High School, who will develop a Facing History and Ourselves book resource center in his classroom for use by students and teachers; and Joshua Otlin of Hudson High School, who plans to redevelop his AP United States History course by integrating a number of key Facing History resources.

Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational and professional development organization whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice, and antisemitism in order to promote the development of a more humane and informed citizenry. For more information please visit www.facinghistory.org.