Civic Learning Week

March 10-14 is Civic Learning Week! This week highlights civic learning as a nationwide priority for sustaining and strengthening our constitutional democracy.

Find online and in-person events

Dawn Crone

Brownsburg High School
Brownsburg, Indiana

"With 18 years of experience in education, I’ve had the opportunity to teach a variety of subjects, from German to my current focus on U.S. History. Throughout my career, I’ve dedicated myself to professional development through programs like National History Day, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Council on History Education. I was honored to be named Indiana’s Gilder Lehrman American History Teacher of the Year in 2013 and Indiana’s James Madison Fellow in 2018. I am also proud to serve on the Indiana Council on Social Studies' Board.

As a mother of two married adult daughters and grandmother to two grandsons, family is at the heart of everything I do. Before entering education, I held a variety of jobs as my late husband's military service took us to Oklahoma, Colorado, Germany, and eventually to Indiana. Originally from Charleston, S.C., I have called the west side of Indianapolis home for the past 27 years.

In the classroom, my goal is to inspire civic engagement by sharing real-world stories and encouraging students to connect with their community. Recently, the district’s newly elected state senator visited our school to talk with students about understanding and engaging with state government. As the sponsor of the History Club, I’m proud of the community service projects we’ve led, such as crocheting mats for homeless veterans, collecting donations for those in need, and creating cards and signs to honor veterans on Veterans Day. Each year, our History Club also presents a wreath at the Brownsburg 9/11 Memorial, which students sign in remembrance.

Outside of the classroom, I am deeply committed to supporting veterans in my community and believe in the power of community service. I am passionate about local government and currently serve on several local boards. I also support programs like 4-H, FFA, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to help make a positive impact in our community."

Nominations are now open for the 2025 American Civic Education Teacher Awards  (ACEATA).

Nominate yourself or a colleague

Kristin Stelfox

Three Village Central School District
Stonybrook, New York

Kristin Stelfox is a veteran teacher with eleven years of experience teaching Global History and developing new social studies curriculums, specific to women's history, on Long Island, New York. She has been recognized as Highly Effective by the New York State Department of Education, is an award-winning Model United Nations Advisor, and current Student Government Advisor. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Communications Team for the New York State Council for the Social Studies.

New York State recently implemented a Seal of Civic Readiness enhancement for students to earn on their diplomas which has offered a great chance for teachers to showcase the various ways we can be civically engaged. These projects and presentations take a broad concept and help students see how being active citizens in their communities can have a rippled effect.

“Personally, I continue to remain informed, educated, and passionate about engaging in civics – writing to our local paper, attending school board meetings, and checking in on our neighbors. I show my students that “civics education” is not just knowing how many members fill the House of Representatives, but how many members of our community rely on necessary services and how to help them when they are in need. My favorite topics to teach in a civics setting are the development of mutual aid groups, local led community organizing impacts throughout history, and student led movements.”

Nominations are now open for the 2025 American Civic Education Teacher Awards  (ACEATA).

Nominate yourself or a colleague

Becky Stoltzfus

Kokomo High School
Kokomo, Indiana

Becky Stoltzfus is a teacher in her 30^th year and is a 2019 Indiana Madison Fellow with Master's Degrees from Ashland University (MaGH) and Indiana Wesleyan University (MEd). She teaches various Social Studies subjects: Dual Credit AP US History, DP History of the Americas I and II, Economics, and World Religions. Before this, she spent 20 years teaching Middle School American History. Along with the James Madison Fellowship, Becky is also a Master Teacher through the American Revolutionary War Institute, on the Council of Educators with Retro Report, and Ednet with Icivics. She has traveled extensively abroad and throughout the United States and is always looking for new adventures, especially now that her son Bryan is grown.

“I am an active member of several organizations, including the DAR and American Legion. I am also one of 25 teachers chosen to be part of the Retro Report Council of Educators. I am a member of iCivics EdNet and writing lessons for Democracy Quest for the Center On Representative Government. At school, I sponsor the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board, where juniors and seniors serve on committees within the mayor's office. I am also the sponsor for the History and Civics Club.

I lead by example. The History and Civics Club has a booth during lunch to register seniors to vote. I have campaigned for candidates that I believed in and lobbied at the state house for issues important to me. One of my proudest moments was seeing former students marching in a parade for the opposing candidate…they were very articulate as to why they felt represented by that candidate rather than my own. I have former students working in Congress and some have even run for office.

My favorite topic in the civics realm is teaching the rights and responsibilities of citizens. I encourage my students to be critical thinkers and active participants in their local, state, or national government.”

Nominations are now open for the 2025 American Civic Education Teacher Awards  (ACEATA).

Nominate yourself or a colleague

Thomas Fulbright

Hope Academy
Topeka, Kansas

Thomas Fulbright has taught at Hope Street Academy for 17 years. As a student, he had many great social studies teachers who inspired him to become an educator. He has a BS & a MS degree from the University of Kansas. He is now working on a master’s degree in American history after being selected as Kansas’ 2023 James Madison Fellow. His pedagogical style is driven by the belief that social studies education should prepare students to be critical thinkers who are civically engaged members of their communities.

After spending their semester studying how different public policies have shaped our nation past and present, students conclude the class by writing a letter to an elected official. Their letters use a "claim, evidence and reasoning" structure to advocate for certain policy decisions today, based on our experiences as a country. He tries to practice what he preaches about civic engagement, especially through involvement in professional & historical organizations.

He is the past-president of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies, works as a "Field Expert" for the Kansas Department of Education, collaborates with teachers across the Country, and loves to partner with great civic-education organizations, such as Indiana University's Center on Representative Government.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 American Civic Education Teacher Awards  (ACEATA).

Nominate yourself or a colleague