Namaste Charter School Teacher Receives Grant from Facing History

CHICAGO, Illinois (May 28, 2014) - Facing History and Ourselves will award over $47,200 in grants to support innovative teacher education projects around the world, the international education nonprofit organization announced today, including Namaste Charter School educator Nawal Qarooni. 

“One Book. One Community. One Namaste.” will bring the whole school community together to read the award-winning book Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, which follows two Chicago children and examines themes of art, chance, problem-solving, and deception. Students will make connections between historic events and the book in both English and Spanish.

“This award recognizes those educators who are going above and beyond to nurture the intellectual as well as the moral development of their students,” Facing History Associate Executive Director Marty Sleeper said. “These are teachers who are making an enormous difference in the world.”

The Margot Stern Strom Innovation Grants grew out of a teaching award established in 2006 to recognize Facing History-trained educators who are thinking outside-the-box to transform schools and impact student learning. 

This week, Facing History awarded over $42,200 to fund 18 cutting-edge classroom projects around the world that focus on technological innovation and collaborative learning. In the coming months, the organization will also award a $5,000 grand prize to a 2013 Innovative Grant winner to further his or her work.  

Find out more about the individual winners and their winning projects here.