Issues: When the emphasis in education shifted toward STEM topics and testing in other subject areas increased, support and funding for history and civics declined. A social studies education develops creative- and critical-thinking skills; and teaches students how to evaluate different perspectives, assess the validity of evidence, work in groups and apply facts in decision-making. In addition, teachers need ongoing professional development to meet the demands of a changing demographic.
To generate community support for social studies and revenue, Americans All adopted a dual-focus mission of legacy preservation and support for excellence in social studies instruction. We believe life experiences and accomplishments should be recorded forever as a legacy story to give future generations knowledge, insight and inspiration. Legacy stories acknowledge that heritage and culture are rich aspects of personal and group identity and are part of the foundation left for family members and society. These stories are housed on our Web-based Heritage Honor Roll and, for greater exposure, on the home pages of members of our Legacy Partner Alliance.
The history of our nation is deeply related to immigration. Except for Native Americans, all citizens originally came here from another place, a fact that has been downplayed today. Understanding a person’s culture makes it possible to reduce stereotypical attitudes. One benefit from publishing legacy stories that highlight the contributions made by all its citizens is the ability to disseminate knowledge that can help unify the nation.
Americans All invests more than half of membership fees to strengthen social studies instruction to help ensure all students are prepared to participate in our nation’s democracy, economy and workforce. The program aims to give K–12 schools nationwide equal access to history and civics grade-level-specific classroom resources that meet state standards. Participating families can also access these resources.
Click here to view Heritage Honor Roll stories in multiple languages
Click here for information on why and how to become an Americans All Affiliate
Click here to set up your “User Account” for Americans All
Click here to see how your schools can become Legacy Partners
Click here to see how a Legacy Partner home page can be enhanced by publishing it in multiple languages