PRESS RELEASE: St. Anthony Academy Receives Grant

Dear Friends...Our homeschool , St. Anthony Academy, has received an amazing grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Please take the time to read the following press release. Thanks!

For Immediate Release

ST. ANTHONY ACADEMY RECIEVES PICTURING AMERICA PROGRAM

NC: St. Anthony Academy Receives National Endowment for the Humanities Initiative,
Bringing Great American Art Directly to Classrooms and Libraries across the Country
January 16, 2009 – St. Anthony Academy is one of over 56,000 schools and public libraries across the nation awarded the Picturing America program. Picturing America is a free initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that helps teach American history and culture by bringing some of the country’s great art directly to classrooms and libraries.

“I AM TRULY HONORED AND EXCITED TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE HOMESCHOOLS SELECTED TO RECEIVE THIS PROGRAM” SAID ST. ANTHONY'S HEADMASTER. “THIS PROGRAM IS THE IMPETUS OUR SCHOOL NEEDS TO MAKE HISTORY AND LITERATURE MORE EXCITING AND TANGIBLE FOR MY CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, MY CHILDREN WILL HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SOME OF THE NATION’S MOST IMPORTANT ART.”

St. Anthony Academy was awarded 40 large, high-quality reproductions of great American art and a comprehensive teachers resource book to facilitate the use of the works of art in core subjects. Picturing America’s resources are designed to allow each work of art to enhance the study of American history, social studies, language arts, literature, and civics.

“The Endowment is delighted that so many students and citizens across the nation will be benefiting from Picturing America,” said NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. “Picturing America helps us understand our democracy by bringing us face to face with the people, places, and events that have shaped our country. It provides an innovative way to experience America’s history through our nation’s art.”

First piloted to 1,500 schools in January 2008, the program was launched nationally in February 2008 and awarded to over 26,000 schools and public libraries across the country in the first application period. During the second application period from August 4 through November 14, 2008, over 29,000 schools and public libraries received Picturing America awards. In addition to schools and public libraries, through a partnership with NEH, the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Head Start has made Picturing America available to the 20,000 Head Start centers across the nation. To date, over 76,000 schools, public libraries, and Head Start centers nationwide have been awarded this free education resource.

Picturing America recipient schools and public libraries are located in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories. District-wide applications during both application periods have brought Picturing America to major public school districts in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and San Francisco, as well as to school and library districts in Washington, DC.

In St. Anthony's community, 17 institutions have been awarded Picturing America. A complete list of recipient schools and public libraries by city and state can be found by visiting the media page of the Picturing America Web site at: http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/public_awards.php.

Picturing America is distributed by the NEH in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA). For information about the ALA, please visit http://www.ala.org/.

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About Picturing America

Public, private, parochial, and charter and home school consortia (K-12), as well as public libraries in the US and its territories, were eligible to receive Picturing America materials.
Picturing America comes with a comprehensive package of materials that includes:
Forty large, high-quality color reproductions of the selected masterpieces (24” x 36”)
A comprehensive teachers resource book providing a wide range of ideas and background
information to support educators using the works of art in core subject areas
Additional resources and lesson plans available through the Picturing America Web site,
http://picturingamerica.neh.gov/

NEH will provide further programming opportunities for Picturing America recipients by offering professional development workshops in summer 2009 hosted by institutions such as museums and historical societies. This grant opportunity is designed to help teachers and librarians form connections with Picturing America artworks and courses in the core curriculum. Interested educators will be able to apply in spring 2009.

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The study of the humanities — history, literature, philosophy, and the arts — helps us explore what it means to be human. The humanities enable us to understand the world and our place in it.

Because “democracy demands wisdom,” NEH serves and strengthens our Republic through promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. Through its programs, NEH provides opportunities for all citizens to embrace the humanities and benefit from their wisdom. For more information about NEH, visit http://www.neh.gov/.

Sample Reproductions