SC Humanities is happy to announce that 357 schools in 111 communities statewide will receive Picturing America awards. Picturing America is a free initiative helping to teach American history and culture by bringing some of the country’s great art directly to classrooms and libraries.
“The National Endowment for the Humanities believes that Picturing America should be in every school and public library in the United States. As a result of our first round of applications, over 26.000 schools and public libraries across the country will have the chance to view and learn from this collection in their own communities,” said Bruce Cole, Chairman of the NEH. “Here in South Carolina, this hope is being realized. As a result of the strong support of the community, in particular the efforts of our partners at SC Humanities, students and teachers at all 357 schools will benefit from this wonderful learning resource.”
“Picturing America is a community initiative that would not be possible without a partnership between local and state officials, school boards, libraries and – most importantly – teachers, students, and parents,” said Randy Akers, Executive Director of SC Humanities. “This program brings history, arts, and the humanities together. It allows students and library patrons to come face-to-face with our country’s great art in a way that will deepen their awareness of American history and culture.”
Feedback from local educators currently participating in the nationwide Picturing America pilot program has been tremendous.
“The quality of the materials is superb. I’m so pleased,” said Christine Miller, Fine Arts Specialist from Dallas’ School for the Talented and Gifted Magnet. “My freshman students are using the materials to help guide their art discussions. I leave out the resource book for reference and some of the kids have spontaneously picked up the book and started digging in.”
In South Carolina, 357 institutions have been awarded Picturing America. They join the 26,320 schools and public libraries across the country that will participate in the program. (See a full list of South Carolina schools and libraries that will participate in Picturing America in 2008.) These successful applicants will receive forty large, high-quality reproductions of great American art and a comprehensive teachers resource book to assist educators using the works of art in core subjects. Delivery of these materials is scheduled for August 2008. Additional education resources are also available through the Picturing America Web site.
The NEH will offer Picturing America to more schools and libraries through a future enrollment opportunity beginning in August 2008. All eligible schools and public libraries in the U.S. and its territories who have not previously received Picturing America may apply for the program from August 4 through November 14, 2008 at PicturingAmerica.neh.gov.
Picturing America is distributed by the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA). SC Humanities is in its 35th year as the state representative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
