President’s Message

May 2024

The success of the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies has historically rested on an intergenerational commitment to social studies education. Folks, just like those instilling a sense of agency during that demonstration, acquiring and then passing on the knowledge, networks, and skills needed to sustain the social studies ecosystem. The secret ingredient for the success of the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies is an intergenerational commitment evidenced in our board of directors.

It's similar to how a forest is sustained. Each year, when saplings take root their burgeoning root systems follow along the paths already laid by trees that came before. The new trees are aided in their growth and contribution to the overall health of the forest by the trees that came before. Luckily, for the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies, our forest is populated by giants who have laid the groundwork, charted the path, and set out a system of roots that will guide generations of leaders to come. Our organization, just like our profession, however, is at a crossroads. We are at a time when we need just as many saplings to take root as there are fully mature oaks in the forest. This is the only path to sustainability. This year, building upon decades of successes, we’ve proven that social studies education continues to be revitalized in Connecticut.

I challenge each and everyone of you to seriously consider how you can help sustain this organization as we enter our 62nd year of incorporation. Help us identify new leaders within the profession to carry social studies forward. Nominate exceptional individuals for one of our awards. Present a workshop at an upcoming conference. Join a committee. Join the CCSS board of directors. Promote membership.

Being a member of CCSS illustrates that one cares about social studies as a content area, contributes to the sustainability of the only statewide organization dedicated to serving social studies teachers. Membership is an investment in our democracy. As an educator, each day I invest my energy, commitment, and expertise into the next generation of leaders. Although they may not always realize or appreciate the efforts in the moment, at the end of the day, I am creating the pathways necessary for youth to take root and, ultimately, replenish the forest. We all know that the rewards for our efforts are oftentimes subject to delayed gratification. We know that the work we commit to today is an investment in the future. An investment in the future of our individual students, investment in the future of our community, investment in the future of our nation, and an investment in popular sovereignty.

Additionally, that’s why the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies is so important. We support teachers to support our youth as an investment in our democracy. If you are someone that believes, as I do, that social studies education is an investment in our future, I ask you to recommit yourself to the cause. No matter what stage of your career you are in at this point, we need you. We need to sustain our progress. We need to sustain our ecosystem. And we need to sustain our republic.