COLLEGE PARK, MD – March 30, 2026 – To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, National History Day® (NHD) is proud to announce the educators selected for its new webinar series, Revolutionary Ideals: Understanding 250 Years of American Principles. Developed in partnership with the American Historical Association and funded by a generous grant through the U.S. Department of Education, this series will explore revolutionary ideals and their evolution across U.S. history.
From April 2026 to March 2027, these educators will participate in online learning modules and will earn either professional development hours or graduate extension credits. Each module will include primary and secondary source readings, one academic task, one pedagogical application, and a live webinar with a leading historian.
“We are excited to launch the Revolutionary Ideals Webinar Series and provide educators with resources to improve the teaching and learning of history,” said National History Day Executive Director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaching, now is a great time to explore the history of our revolutionary principles and their impact over time.”
Educators will learn and participate in scheduled presentations throughout the program relating to revolutionary ideals, including:
- April / May 2026: American Foundational Principles with Dr. Brendan Gillis, Director of Teaching and Learning, American Historical Association. Dr. Gillis will utilize the Declaration of Independence to examine the historical context that shaped a profound articulation of the ideals and principles underlying the American Revolution.
- July / August 2026: Confederation to Constitution with Dr. Christopher Pearl, Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Department, Lycoming College. Dr. Pearl will examine the political turmoil of the 1780s, which highlighted the need for a new federal system.
- September / October 2026: The Marshall Court with Dr. Kate Brown, Associate Professor of History, Western Kentucky University. Dr. Brown will examine the role of the Marshall Court in defining the implementation of Article III of the U.S. Constitution, highlighting the Supreme Court precedents that established judicial review, enforced the sanctity of contracts, protected interstate commerce, and placed limits on the federal government’s reach.
- November / December 2026: The Reconstruction Amendments with Dr. Justine Hill Edwards, Associate Professor of History, University of Virginia. Dr. Hill Edwards will use the Freedman’s Bank to explore the importance of the Reconstruction Amendments at the intersection of political and economic rights in the mid-to-late nineteenth century.
- January / February 2027: The 26th Amendment with Dr. Kyle Longley, Director of War, Diplomacy, and Society and a Professor of History, Chapman University. Dr. Longley will explore the origins and consequences of the 26th Amendment, underscoring the role of youth leaders in petitioning for expanded voting rights and placing the amendment within the context of the Vietnam War era. This program will examine the relationship between military service and the expansion of political, social, and economic freedoms.
NHD celebrates the following educators participating in the Revolutionary Ideals webinar series:
| Ms. Ashley Moreno, Alabama | Ms. Jessica Mehegan, Iowa | Ms. Patricia Robblee, North Carolina |
| Mrs. Erin Heck, Alabama | Mr. William Headington, Iowa | Ms. Rebecca Simmons, North Carolina |
| Ms. Erica Burnham, Alaska | Mrs. Amanda Rullman, Kansas | Ms. Valencia Abbott, North Carolina |
| Dr. Julie Ekeroma-Faalogo, American Samoa | Mr. Jeffrey Schuh, Kansas | Mr. Wesley Young, North Carolina |
| Mrs. Agnes Silofau, American Samoa | Ms. Maria Arnold, Kansas | Ms. Whitney Cooper, North Carolina |
| Mrs. Elizabeth Paras, American Samoa | Mr. Travis Lamb, Kansas | Ms. Melissa Evensen, North Dakota |
| Miss Rhonda Tuia, American Samoa | Mrs. Donna Morris, Kentucky | Ms. Patty Marenger, North Dakota |
| Mrs. Abby Gibson, Arizona | Ms. Nicole Lucas, Kentucky | Mr. Zach Hochhalter, North Dakota |
| Ms. Jamie Trent, Arizona | Mr. Terry Lowry, Maine | Mrs. Amanda Cumbey, Oklahoma |
| Mr. Thomas Garrett, Arizona | Mrs. Emily Kavanagh, Maryland | Mrs. Jennifer Huff, Oklahoma |
| Ms. Jean Hill, Arkansas | Ms. Krystal Brown, Maryland | Mrs. Jennifer Terry, Oklahoma |
| Mrs. Jessica Vick, Arkansas | Ms. Ruby Sharma, Maryland | Mrs. Laura Wilson, Oregon |
| Mrs. Katy Wellborn, Arkansas | Dr. Christopher Beckvold, Massachusetts | Mrs. Amy Palo, Pennsylvania |
| Mrs. Cady Burnstein, California | Mr. Benjamin DeMott, Massachusetts | Mr. Tim Proskauer, Puerto Rico |
| Mr. Ryan Sparr, California | Mr. Patrick Rosendale, Massachusetts | Mrs. Jodi Belford, Rhode Island |
| Ms. Rebecca Taber, Connecticut | Mrs. Chelsea Blair, Michigan | Mr. Austin Olson, South Dakota |
| Mrs. Cassidy Hebner, Delaware | Mr. Raffi Andonian, Missouri | Mrs. Anghie Potts, Tennessee |
| Mrs. Jacqueline Torkelson, Delaware | Ms. Lauren Connolly, New Hampshire | Ms. Courtney Beard, Tennessee |
| Mrs. Tara Creekmore, Delaware | Mrs. Megan Philbrook, New Hampshire | Mrs. Nicole Whitecotton, Tennessee |
| Mrs. Vanessa Gallaher, Delaware | Mr. Richie Harty, New Hampshire | Ms. Casey Johnston, Texas |
| Dr. Therese Farmer, Florida | Mrs. Melissa DiPietro, New Jersey | Mrs. Dawn Guzman, Texas |
| Ms. Amanda Dogu, Florida | Ms. Nicole Wright, New Jersey | Mr. James Richardson, Texas |
| Mrs. Emily Benedix, Florida | Ms. Stefanie San Filippo, New Jersey | Ms. Kimberly Pena, Texas |
| Mrs. Meaghan Rose, Florida | Ms. Courtney Smith, New Mexico | Ms. Leslie Cogdell, Texas |
| Ms. Micaela McNiff, Florida | Mr. Lee Wilson, New Mexico | Mrs. Margaret Brase, Texas |
| Mrs. Sarah Bryan, Florida | Mrs. Mildred Bitsui, New Mexico | Dr. Wendy Atzet, Utah |
| Dr. Lisa Babbage, Georgia | Dr. Alice Wolcott, New York | Ms. Aileen Bennett, Utah |
| Mrs. Beth Smith, Georgia | Mr. Christopher Doyle, New York | Mrs. Cheryl Jindeel, Utah |
| Ms. Caroline Hugh, Georgia | Mrs. DanaAnn Landesman, New York | Mrs. Jennifer Klein, Utah |
| Mrs. Mia Lowe, Georgia | Mr. Doug Flitcroft, New York | Mrs. Julia Winslow, Utah |
| Miss Joanna France Payumo, Guam | Ms. Kristen Waterman, New York | Mrs. Karlee Genther, Utah |
| Mrs. Nicole Lasko, Hawaii | Mr. Patrick Henderson, New York | Mrs. Christina Barbour, Virginia |
| Ms. Angela Richards, Idaho | Mrs. Taryn Windheim, New York | Mrs. Emily Danovich, Virginia |
| Miss Ella Noland, Idaho | Mrs. Amy Bradsher, North Carolina | Mrs. Kelly Rosati, Virginia |
| Mr. Thomas Pirc, Idaho | Ms. Cheryl Chauncey, North Carolina | Mrs. Laura Channing, Virginia |
| Ms. Mackenzie Meyers, Indiana | Ms. Courtney McMillon, North Carolina | Ms. Lara Quindeln, Virginia |
| Mrs. Tiffany Finney, Illinois | Ms. Jacqueline Gronwald, North Carolina | Ms. Morgan Johnson, Virginia |
| Mrs. Leigh Ann Schroeder, Iowa | Mrs. Maggie Swanson, North Carolina | Mrs. Kathleen Hartman, Washington |
