United We Stand initiative brings educator conference to the Commonwealth

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 1, 2023) — Kentucky Humanities, in partnership with the University of Kentucky College of Education Center for Professional Development, will present Safe Students, Empowered Educators, a United We Stand initiative workshop, on Saturday, Feb. 3. This daylong workshop for Kentucky K-12 teachers, school administrators and teachers in training will enable participants to reflect on diverse experiences and perspectives and explore the history of prejudice in hopes of creating a more just society.  

The workshop, taking place at the UK Gatton Student Center in Lexington, will help educators combat hate-motivated violence by creating programming that promotes civic engagement, social cohesion, and cross-cultural understanding. Teachers will be provided with tools needed to be more confident in advancing justice in the classroom and create a more just society. 

“Through our partnerships in schools, we hear from teachers about topics they would like to spend more time focusing on to build competencies and make an impact. Their students have seen a great deal of hate-filled violence in the news and within their own communities in recent years. We have designed this workshop to enable teachers to build their portfolio of knowledge and resources on ways to develop cross-cultural understanding among students, who will be the next generation to build bridges and foster unity," said Margaret Mohr-Schroeder, Ph.D., professor of STEM Education and senior associate dean for academic programs and partnerships, UK College of Education. 

“The NEH’s United We Stand initiative gives Kentucky Humanities the opportunity to assist educators throughout the Commonwealth in dealing with hate and violence in their schools,” said Kentucky Humanities Executive Director Bill Goodman. “With the continuing rise of hate and violence in schools, we want to provide educators with the tools to build civic engagement and positive social environments in their classrooms and school communities.” 

This workshop is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ United We Stand: Connecting Through Culture initiative and is free for educators, with the first 200 registrants receiving a $100 stipend for their attendance. Additionally, all attendees will be eligible to earn six hours of professional development credit. Those who register for the workshop prior to Nov. 30 will also be entered in a drawing to have bestselling author and keynote Nic Stone visit their school on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. The school visit will include 150 student copies of Stone’s book.  

For more information and to register for Safe Students, Empowered Teachers, visit www.kyhumanities.org/programs/educators-conference. 

Kentucky Humanities is a non-profit Kentucky corporation affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities. For information about Kentucky Humanities’ programs and services, including more information about the Safe Students, Empowered Educators Workshop visit www.kyhumanities.org. 

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.