The Seventh Year of Arkansas Declaration of Learning Initiative announced by The Arkansas Department of Education

The Arkansas Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education is pleased to announce that applications are being accepted for the seventh year of the Arkansas Declaration of Learning initiative. School librarians, as well as English language arts, fine arts, and social studies teachers, in grades four through 12 are encouraged to apply to participate in the program. Selected teachers will use historical art and objects from state and national partners to create lesson plans that involve civic engagement projects. Arkansas, the first state selected for the national program, serves as a model for other states. In addition to coordinating the program and offering a stipend to teachers for the year-long project, the ADE partners with the Clinton Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Division of Arkansas Heritage, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms to provide access to historic art and objects teachers can use when developing lesson plans and projects. “The Arkansas Declaration of Learning program serves as a national model for using objects from the past to shape learning today,” ADE Secretary Johnny Key said. “We are proud to be a trailblazer for this project that has received national attention, and we know that both the teachers who participate and the students in their classrooms benefit from the program. I encourage educators to consider applying for this next cycle, and I look forward to great learning opportunities that will be developed as a result.”Teachers and librarians selected for the program will attend training this summer for which they will be awarded 30 hours of professional development credit. Participants will be divided into regional teams led by a mentor who is a previous alumnus of the program. Mentors will provide assistance to participants throughout the year.  “It was so interesting to see the students learn how artists have been used throughout history to accomplish political goals and how they, as young artists, could apply this knowledge to help change their environments/situations,” said Melanie Williamson, a sixth-eighth grade art teacher at Sylvan Hills Middle School in Sherwood. “ADOL gave them a feeling of being involved in something bigger than themselves, but the best feeling for me was to see how they began to feel empowered. That was amazing!”Teachers who are interested in applying for the program should submit their application using the following link by 11:59 p.m. February 28, 2022: https://forms.gle/5wuQtaZpe9A5nmxa7.To learn more about the Arkansas Declaration of Learning initiative, visit https://bit.ly/3HUps3E.