Press Release

THE ILLINOIS HUMANITIES COUNCIL AND SECRETARY OF STATE JESSE WHITE ANNOUNCE THE EIGHTH CAPITOL FORUM ON AMERICA’s FUTURE

***DEADLINE EXTENDED: September 27, 2006***

Currently accepting applications from Illinois teachers who want to bring public policy discussions into their high school classrooms

CHICAGOThe Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) announces the eighth Illinois Capitol Forum on America’s Future, a program offering the state’s high school social studies teachers and their students an opportunity to examine the United States’ role in international affairs. Applications are available on-line or by calling 312.422.5580. Application deadline is September 27, 2006.

A national program of Choices for the 21st Century Education Program at the Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University, Capitol Forum provides the curriculum and venue for students to actively participate in civic dialogue about US foreign policy. Teachers who participate in the program receive materials and training to engage whole classes in consideration of five major global issues: immigration, environment, trade, terrorism, and nuclear proliferation.

Teachers and students appreciate the way Capitol Forum encourages civic engagement, supports critical thinking, and brings together young adults from across the state to listen, to deliberate, and to communicate. The program meets state standards for social studies in Illinois. Illinois is one of 12 states currently participating in the program. The Illinois Capitol Forum is sponsored by the IHC and Secretary of State Jesse White.

The Illinois Humanities Council is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. Organized in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC creates programs and funds organizations that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities by all Illinoisans, regardless of their economic resources, cultural background, or geographic location. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

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