Social Studies Associations & Programs

There are a number of associations and programs supporting quality social studies understanding. Below are some of these programs. If you know of others that ought to be listed, please let us know. Please note that the following programs are not affiliated with the USOE, and the descriptions have been provided by the program contacts.

BUILDING CONNECTIONS
730 E. Three Fountains Drive #84
Murray UT 84107
801-272-7923
eric@ebuildingconnections.com
http://www.ebuildingconnections.com

Building Connections is a grassroots effort established in 1993 by Adele Woolley Weiler with the support of educators, architects, historians, planners and the construction industry. It uses architecture and the design of neighborhoods and cities as primary resources in the development of an integrated curriculum for grades 3 to 12.

CLOSE UP FOUNDATION 1-800-256-7387 - Ext 645
Megan Sette, Community Outreach Coordinator for Utah settem@closeup.org www.closeup.org
703-706-3645
FAX: (703) 706-0001
44 Canal Center Plaza
Alexandria VA 22314

Close Up is a week long academic experience in the nation's capitol for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors--and teachers. With a minimum of five high school students teachers receive a fully paid round trip tuition, lodging and transportation. Teachers participate in seminars and workshops while the student winners on a parallel programs with students from other states. All participants stay in hotels in Washington during the week, but spend most of the day in Washington, D.C. -- including a full day on Capitol Hill. There are no prerequisites, other than permission from their school and their parents to miss one week of school. The program is offered from November through May. For prices and details contact Stuart Nelson, above phone number extension 608.

FLP (FOOD, LAND, and PEOPLE)
Grace Struiksma
Utah State University
2315 Old Main Hill
Logan, Utah 84322-2315
(435)770-9847
graces@ext.usu.edu

The Food, Land & People (FLP) online course (ASTE 6400) has been developed for the K-6 educator and provides teachers with 1-3 Continuing Education graduate credits that can be completed throughout the school year. The instructional units address core content and integrated approaches for teaching reading and mathematics. The activities are meaningful and the objectives are well defined. By using hands-on, cooperative learning, inquiry methods, and other innovative teaching strategies, you’ll reach a variety of learners. At the same time earn Utah State University credit and complete your class assignments in your own classroom. Variable graduate-level credit is available. Contact us to attend an orientation session.

GEOGRAPHY BEE
Sheila Powell
Monte Vista Elementary
11121 South 2700 West
South Jordan, Utah 84095
(801) 254-8040

GEOGRAPHY OLYMPIAD
Norma Jean Remington
Davis School District
45 East State Street
Farmington, Utah 84025
(801) 402-5328
nremington@dsdmail.net

The Geography Olympiad is open to 9th grade teams (4 students) from across the state. The meet has been the last few years at Bennion Junior High. The competition yields Orienteering, GIS, Problem-Solving, Geography Bowl, Human and Individual test and Maps, Charts and Graph team test. There is a traveling trophy for top over-all schools. Medals, plagues, and ribbons go to teams and individual winners with certificates, t-shirts, food and fun for all. Look for the last weekend in April or the first weekend in May.

GIS COALITION
Melvin Robinson
Technology and Engineering Education Specialist
Utah State Office of Education
Applied Technology Education Services
PO Box 144200
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200
(801) 538-7598
mrobinso@usoe.k12.ut.us

Don Cressall
Davis School District
45 East State Street
Farmington, Utah 84025
(801)402-5212
dcressall@dsdmail.net
http://www.edtechsupport.net/gis/index.htm

A coalition of Utah educator and GIS professionals working to bring GIS (Geographic Information Systems) into the class room through teacher training, curriculum and mentoring.

HISTORY FAIR
Mike Johnson
Utah State University
2315 University Blvd.
Logan, Utah 84322-2315
(435) 797-3633
mjohnson@hass.usu.edu
http://www.usu.edu/utahfair/histfair.html

An extra-curricular history research competition for grades 4-12. Students research a topic of their choosing. They can present their information as an essay, an exhibit, and audio/visual program, or a dramatic presentation.

INCLUSION CENTER, formerly NCCJ
ANYTOWN USA
Mini-Anytown
Kilo Zamora, Director
On the Westminster Campus (Walker Building)
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City UT 84105
801-832-3260

kzamora@inclusioncenter.org
http://www.inclusioncenter.org

An out-of-class experience for faculty, middle and high school students promoting: self esteem, citizenship, racial understanding, leadership skills, family relations, male/female role perceptions, community relations, inter-religious respect, cultural awareness. A variety of workshop formats are available; and Anytown week long camps are offered each summer.

INTRIGUE OF THE PAST: INVESTIGATING ARCHEOLOGY
Julie Howard
Archaeologist, Utah Cultural Resources Project Lead for the KREP 2003
Bureau of Land Management
Utah State Office
PO Box 45155
Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155
(801) 539-4067
(801) 539-4200 - Fax
julie_howard@ut.blm.gov
http://www.ut.blm.gov/

Resources:
Project Archeology
www.projectarchaeology.org
This website is an archaeology project through the BLM and Montana University.

Museum of Natural History, University of Utah http://www.umnh.utah.edu/museum/Education/teacherWorkshops.html
This web site has workshops for teachers throughout the state.

JUNIOR STATESMEN FOUNDATION
60 East Third Avenue, Suite 320
San Mateo California 94401
800-343-5353
FAX: 415-347-7200
http://www.jsa.org

Junior Statesmen Summer School is conducted on the campuses of the University of Texas at Austin, Yale, Stanford, Northwestern and (Jr Statesman Continued)

Georgetown Universities. It offers high school students an opportunity to study with nationally recognized political scientist; develop and polish their leadership skills; improve their speaking ability, and debate controversial issues. Scholarships and fund raising assistance are available.

LAW RELATED EDUCATION
Kathy Dryer, Director
Utah Law-Related Education Project
645 South 200 East, Suite 100
Salt Lake City UT 84111
(801) 322-1802
FAX: (801) 323-9732
lre@ics.com

The Utah State Law-Related Education Project coordinates the Mock Trial competitions, teaches legal concepts in the public school, and mentor and resolution training.

MIDDLE EAST CENTER OUTREACH PROGRAM
Linda Adams- Outreach Director
260 South Central Campus Dr. #153
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Phone: 801-581-5003
Fax: 801-581-6183
linda.adams@utah.edu
http://www.mec.utah.edu/outreach

The Middle East Center at the University of Utah was established in 1960 by a grant from the US Department of Education and is today one of this country's major resources for the study of the Middle East. The Center coordinates a program of study, both undergraduate and graduate, which includes the major languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish) and area studies dealing with the culture, politics, history, economics, social institutions, religion, geography, and philosophy of the Middle East.

The Outreach Program is an important component of the Center's mission to advance the study of the Middle East. Its primary objective is to assist educators, K-12 students, business organizations, the media, governmental agencies, and the community-at-large in acquiring a more informed view of the Middle East-a region that is often misunderstood and misrepresented.

The Outreach Program provides speakers, workshops, a film series, and is available to provide training to anyone who might want to learn more about this vitally important part of the world.
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MOCK ELECTION PROGRAM
Utah representative
Norma Jean Remington
Davis School District
45 East State Street
Farmington UT 84025
801-402-5328
nremington@dsdmail.net

Mock Election Coordinator League of Women Voters
www.mockelection.utah.gov
National Mock Election
www.nationalmockelection.com
Utah State Election Office
http://elections.utah.gov

The Mock Election provides students with the opportunity to participate in the voting and balloting process for state and national elections.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS
Courtney Kochevar
Brigham Young University
(801) 979-1414

Brook Gregg
Woods Cross High School
600 West 2200 South
Woods Cross, Utah 84087
(801) 402-4500

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION (NCGE)
16 A Leonard Hall
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana PA 15705-1087
412-357-7708
FAX: 412-357-7708
www.ncge.org

Central Office
206-A Martin Hall
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville AL 36265-1602
256-782-5293
Fax 256-782-5336
ncge@jsucc.jsu.edu

NCGE, a non-profit organization, was chartered in 1915 to enhance the status and quality of geography teaching and learning. Its activities include conducting and gathering research on geographic teaching and learning (including publication of the Journal of Geography, a peer-reviewed journal published six times a year), curriculum and instruction activities at the university and K-12 levels, annual meetings, and a wide variety of electronic and print resources.

National Council for Social Studies
http://www.socialstudies.org/

PROJECT CITIZEN
Bill Spence
Pleasant Grove Jr.
810 N 100 E
Pleasant Grove, Utah 8707
(801) 785-8707
billspence@alpine.k12.ut.us

We the People: Project Citizen is a curricular program designed for middle grade students, but is adaptable to upper elementary and high school students. The program helps young people learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy. Entire classes of students work cooperatively to identify a public policy problem in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt the proposed policy. Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project in a simulated hearing before a panel of civic-minded community members or before an actual government body.

UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP
Pam Su'a
Social Studies/History
Jordan School District
9361 S. 300 E.
Sandy, UT 84070
(801) 567-8320
pamsua@yahoo.com
http://www.hearstfdn.org/ussyp/

Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity will spend a week in Washington experiencing their national government in action. Delegates will hear major policy addresses by senators, cabinet members, officials for the Departments of State and Defense and directors of federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Each delegate will be awarded a $5,000 College Scholarship for undergraduate studies.

The state competition is held annually in the fall and each high school may send one representative.

UTAH GEOGRAPHIC ALLIANCE
(801) 402-5328
Norma Jean Remington
Davis School District
45 East State Street
Farmington UT 84025
FAX: (801) 402-5333
nremington@dsdmail.net
http://www.ngsednet.org/community/index.cfm?community_id=258

The Utah Geographic Alliance (UGA) is a Utah based educational organization allied for improving and strengthening geography education throughout the state of Utah. Established in 1988 in partnership with the Utah State Office of Education and the National Geographic Society, the UGA education network is composed of active Elementary, Secondary, College and University educators throughout Utah. All activities and functions are supported by the Utah Geography Education Endowment.

UTAH COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES
David Seiter, President
Northridge High School, Davis School District
d_seiter@comcast.net

The Utah Council for social studies coordinates and promotes social studies activities for teachers statewide, regionally and nationally. The council hosts professional development opportunities, honors teachers and provides workshops on timely social studies topics. It also promotes social studies education at the national NCSS conference each November.

UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MODEL UNITED NATIONS
John McMannis - Secretary General
Brighton High School
2220 East Bengal Blvd.
Salt Lake City UT 84121
(801) 256-5200 #6204
Home: 274-2648
Fax: 256-5270

Student teams participate in a two day simulation of the United Nations. There are nine committees in competition for delegate and school awards. Students must do preliminary research and prepare a country policy paper.

UTAH LOCAL CLOSE UP
Utah State Office of Education
Robert Austin, Social Studies Specialist
250 East 500 South
P O Box 144200
Salt Lake City UT 84114-4200
801-538-7708
FAX: 801-538-7769
raustin@schools.utah.gov

This annual program introduces students to the legislative process as they visit the legislature in action, hear from state officials and field trip to various Salt Lake area sites. Program is limited to high school students. Partially funded by the Close Up Foundation.

UTAH STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
Charolette Miller, President
645 South 600 East
Salt Lake City Utah, 84111
(801) 531-9077
Fax: (801) 531-0660
Email: info@utahbar.org
http://www.utahbar.org/

Coordinates Law Day activities.

UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
300 South Rio Grande
Salt Lake City UT 84101-1182
(801) 533-3500
FAX: 533-3503 300
www.history.utah.gov

The Utah State Historical Society was founded in 1897. We became a state agency--the State Division of History--in 1917. In 1968 our name was changed to the Division of State History and later became a part of the Department of Community and Economic Development (Now the Department of Community and Culture). Our offices were in the State Capitol from 1915 to 1957, then in the historic Kearns Mansion (now the Governor's Residence) from 1957 to 1977. We have been housed in the Historic Rio Grande Depot since 1980.

WE THE PEOPLE
District I Coordinator
Norma Jean Remington
Davis School District
45 East State Street
Farmington, UT 84025
801-402-5328
nremington@dsdmail.net

District II Coordinator
Sandra Dahl-Houlihan
West Jordan High School
8136 South 2700 West
West Jordan, UT 84088
801-256-5663
801- 256-5670
Sandra.dahlhoulihan@jordan.k12.ut.us

District III Coordinator
Matt Logan
Orem High School
175 S. 400 E.
Orem, UT 84097
801-227-8765
801-796-9522
loganma1@yahoo.com

For further information, contact Tom Sutton, State Social Studies Specialist - 801.538.7708; FAX 801.538.7769
This page last updated July 30, 2008