Press Releases
Jennifer Wilson Named 2021 Lowell Milken Center Fellow
June 1, 2021
FORT SCOTT, KS — The Lowell Milken Center (LMC) for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas, an international educational non-profit, has awarded its prestigious Fellowship to social studies teacher, Jennifer Wilson, of North East High School in North East, Pennsylvania. Jennifer Wilson will arrive in Fort Scott on June 20th for a week of collaboration with LMC staff.
The LMC Fellowship is awarded on the basis of merit to educators who have distinguished themselves in teaching respect and understanding through project-based learning or who have the potential for this distinction. The Center selects exemplary teachers from across America and around the world, drawn from a variety of disciplines, to collaborate on projects that discover, develop, and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes in history.
Jennifer Wilson has taught at North East High School in North East, Pennsylvania for twenty-five years. She teaches American History, Advanced Placement European History, Contemporary Issues, and Ethnic Conflict, an elective course she created. She is the Social Studies Department Chair, a member of the Academic Letter Committee, and has held various class adviserships over the years. Jennifer, her students, and a colleague created Inspire, a group that promotes a positive school climate through a range of activities. The group created a school wide Code of Ethics and set up food collections, random acts of kindness campaigns, art contests, and many other activities.
Throughout her career, Jennifer has pursued a mission to include Holocaust and genocide studies in her curriculum and district. She became a Museum Teacher Fellow with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 and worked with the Jewish Community Council of Erie, PA and local universities to provide professional development for educators. Jennifer recently finished her Masters in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College, earning the Samuel and Bessie Starr Memorial Prize. Sponsored by the JCC of Erie, she traveled to Poland, the Czech Republic, and France in the summer of 2019 on a "Holocaust in Europe" tour. She spoke at the National Council for the Social Studies conference in 2019, presenting the revised curriculum for her Ethnic Conflict course on the "forces of division" in human society that often lead to conflict. In her classes, Jennifer stresses the complexity of history by considering various viewpoints, using a range of resources, and highlighting the importance of context. Jennifer recently collaborated on an Educator's Guide for Sidonia's Thread, an online exhibit about Holocaust survivor Sidonia Perlstein. Outside of school, Jennifer enjoys time with family, including her husband of 25 years and her two children, ages 19 and 17.
LMC Executive Director Norm Conard says, "We look forward to learning more about Jennifer's in-depth work in the area of Holocaust studies. She is a prime mover with student work, a high achiever, and a leader in Pennsylvania education."
While in Fort Scott, LMC Fellows gain knowledge, educational resources and ongoing support to enhance their classrooms and help students cultivate a passion for learning by creating projects that initiate positive change. Fellows emerge prepared to develop Unsung Heroes projects with their students, as they apply and evaluate the stories of role models who have changed the world throughout history.
To schedule interviews or for more information, please contact:
Norm Conard
Executive Director
Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
1 South Main
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Phone: (620) 223-1312
nconard@lowellmilkencenter.org
www.lowellmilkencenter.org
2021 Lowell Milken Center Fellow
Name: Jennifer Wilson
Subject: High School Social Studies
School: North East High School
1901 Freeport Road
North East, PA 16428
Phone: (814) 725 8671, ext. 1107
Cell: (814) 504 8899
Email: jmwilson0604@gmail.com