ACE Teachers Present, Garner Awards at Western History Association Conference

Four current ACE teachers and two recent ACE grads had key roles at the Western History Association annual conference held in Las Vegas, NV. The teachers are:

• Laura Fenerty (ACE 25, LA South Central)
• Adriana Marrero (ACE 25, San Jose) 
• Taylor Still (ACE 25, Denver)
• Danielle Gaudet (ACE 25, LA East)
• Jose Dempsey (ACE 23, San Jose)
• Sam Jezak (ACE 24, San Jose)

These six teachers were paired with scholars with recent books on the American West, specifically on Chinese and Japanese communities of the American West. ACE teachers worked collaboratively with Beth Lew-Williams of Princeton University and Melody Miyamoto Walters of Colby of Collin College to translate their academic scholarship into classroom approaches for middle and high school students. The ACE teachers presented their lessons to audiences including K-12 teachers, university professors, and historians. 

This collaboration between historians and K-12 teachers through the WHA was started by Brian Collier and has been ongoing for more than ten years. Dr. Lew-Williams commented on the program: “I dearly hope the collaboration will continue—that more teachers and their students will have the opportunity to learn about new historical research, and that more professors will have the opportunity to learn about K-12 education. I think programs like this are essential to develop a K-12 history curriculum that reflects the diversity of our nation’s students.”

Additionally, Laura Fenerty was recognized with the K-12 Teaching Western History Award sponsored through the Charles Redd Center and the Western History Association.