May is always busy

May is always busy, there's just no way around it. My students take AP exams during the first two weeks. We also are planning a Memorial Day Assembly and took part in the Model United Nations Conference. This on top of other things makes for a very busy few weeks!

AP exams always provide a bit of stress and this year was no exception. This was my first year teaching AP Psychology and I will be interested to see how the students did. The AP US history exam changed two years ago and I still am getting used to preparing students for these changes. Now that both are over, my new challenge is keeping students engaged in class for the last few weeks!

In my Honors US History class we have been working on an Assembly in conjunction with my Understanding Sacrifice project. We are planning to tell the school about the importance of Memorial Day by remembering the sacrifice of Harvey Madore of Augusta, ME and Joseph Berry of Wayne, ME.

Harvey Madore

Joseph Berry

We have a special day planned and the families of both Fallen Heroes will be here. The Kennebec Journal is planning to cover the event and WCSH 6 as well as WVII 7 might also cover it. WVII 7 was contacted by National History Day (one of the sponsors of Understanding Sacrifice) and they were interested enough to call me. Reporter Jack Hilton visited my school last week for about 3 hours. He was interested in the story I am doing on Harvey Madore for my Understanding Sacrifice project. He interviewed Harvey's son Bob and myself. He also interviewed 3 of my students. The segment aired that same night. I have it linked here and also the video portion is below. He told me they will use some of the other video and interviews as part of their continuing Memorial Day coverage and they hope to include it as part of a bigger story after our assembly. Its really exciting to see that after all of these years Harvey Madore's sacrifice is not forgotten! I can't wait for assembly on May 26th!

I was really excited last week when we confirmed our keynote speaker for next Fall's Maine Council for the Social Studies Conference. Author and historian Kenneth C. Davis has agreed to speak and sign books at our Conference on November 10th. He has a new book coming out in September In the Shadow of Liberty and he is also speaking at the National Conference in December! Very exciting for Maine!

Kenneth C. Davis

Last Friday we took 22 students to the annual Model UN conference at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. We have attended this event for 13 years and this year may have been our best in terms of student engagement and achievement! Despite being out for a month with surgery, the students were well prepared. Two of my colleagues worked with them while I was out and I really appreciate their efforts! We had two students win Best Delegation in the Security Council (no small feat), and 6 others win for Best Negotiators and Best Position Papers. All of the students did very well and I was very proud and humbled to work with them. Model UN takes a lot of time and energy. With the increased mandates on us and less time to tackle them I have been very close to saying no more Model UN. I'm so glad I decided to give it a go one more year (at least). I will need to reevaluate where things are next year, but it really was a great experience for everyone involved! Below are a few photos form the Conference.

After a busy and fun two weeks, all energy is now on the Assembly for May 26th! After that things will definitely wind down for the last few weeks. That will be a time for end of year details and to start thinking about the Social Studies Symposium on June 29 that I am presenting at and my trip to the World War Two Cemeteries in Italy and France as part of the Understanding Program in July!