Teach the District 2025: By the Numbers

In July of this year, eighteen 3rd – 12th grade DC educators participated in Teach the District, the DC History Center’s signature professional development program that connects educators of all subjects to local history and culture. Educators are competitively selected, participate for a whole week during their summer break, and are paid for their engagement and resource-sharing.

The 2025 Teach the District cohort poses for a group photo outside the Carnegie Library. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

This year’s cohort represented:

• DC public, charter, and private schools
• All 8 wards
• 11 specialties

1. 1. 1. History
      2. ELA
      3. Geometry
      4. Political Science
      5. Technology
      6. Library
      7. SPED
      8. Mathematics
      9. Science
      10. Art
      11. Government & Civics

10 grades (3-12)

16 schools

These educators experienced:

5 DAYS co-learning with cultural heritage professionals and their cohort of 3rd –12th grade educators across disciplines and grade levels. And because you can’t do all that on an empty stomach: 5 CATERED LUNCHES (that could be enjoyed without working meetings or chaperoning duties!)

4 DAYS of hands-on learning with DC History Center collection materials about local history, neighborhoods, the fight for statehood, land loss and displacement, changemakers in DC, and more.

(At least) 3 HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS per educator requested from the DC History Center collections. On very little time, Library staff Alex Aspiazu and Sam Lewis pulled all the collection requests (and then some!) so the educators could get busy implementing collections items into their classroom resource by Thursday morning.

2 FIELD TRIPS to cultural heritage sites, featuring:

Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park — where we experienced their reimagined LAND ECHOES FIELD TRIP and received 1 IN DEPTH OVERVIEW of the history of indigenous peoples of the DC region from tribal historian Mario Harley, a member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe.

People’s Archive at MLK, Jr. Memorial Library — where the cohort got to tour the collections space, peruse the fourth-floor exhibit (that features Mario Harley!), and explore topic-specific items from the People’s Archive to use in developing their classroom resource.

1 HOST SITE offering behind-the-scenes access, hands-on collections research, brainstorming sessions, and group reflection time. Previously run with additional partners, the DC History Center has planned and executed the program independently for a few years now, and this summer’s education team delivered!

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Senior Manager of Collections Autumn Kalikin makes her presentation to the teachers during Teach the District. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers get a behind-the-scenes tour of the DC History Center's collections space. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers get a behind-the-scenes tour of the DC History Center's collections space. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

A teacher presents to her fellow Teach the District participants inside the Kiplinger Research Library. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers enjoy a catered lunch in the South Gallery during Teach the District. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Deputy Director Anne McDonough speaks with a teacher inside the "Class Action" exhibit. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers discuss the content of the "Class Action" exhibit with one another. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Education Manager Vanessa Williams (right) talks with a teacher about their classroom resource. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers arrive at Piscataway Park for their day-long field trip. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Accokeek Foundation staff have guess the plant based on the smell of the leaf she is holding (it was sassafras, which was used to make root beer). Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers and staff continue their visit to the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, experiencing their reimagined LAND ECHOES field trip. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

Teachers and DC History Center staff listen to a presentation by tribal historian Mario Harley. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

A teacher takes notes among collections inside the Kiplinger Research Library. Photo by Phillip Warfield.

RESOURCES

Check out our Libguide that features resources explored during the week, including the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, classroom materials from the Black Broad Branch Project and EmpowerDC’s Barry Farm Curriculum, and a playlist curated by this year’s cohort!