A partnership between the U.S. Consulate General, the Government of Bermuda and The Babcock American History Scholarship funded a special teacher training opportunity with the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia — located seven miles from the Jamestown settlement so closely intertwined with Bermuda’s early history.
Following the successful participation of Shayla Morton from Francis Patton School last year, the program has expanded for 2024 to include a group of four educators selected through an open application process. The chosen participants – Zonique James (Dalton E. Tucker), Kievone Simmons, (Purvis), Denika Wade, (Whitney Institute), and Nekesha Holdipp, Acting Education Officer with the Bermuda Department of Education – attended an immersive training on American heritage in July and August.
The Teacher Institute provides participants with interactive teaching techniques and skills to become mentors who can assist their peers and other educators in their community to develop active learning classrooms and make history exciting for their students. “This was an eye-opening experience and a great opportunity to deepen our understanding of the historic U.S.-Bermuda connection,” said Zonique James. “The training sessions were highlyinteractive, offering valuable teaching strategies that we can implement in our classrooms. Additionally, we had the chance to explore continued collaboration opportunities with our peers from the United States.”
Training sessions include off-campus site visits in Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and the surrounding area, where participants engage in an inclusive and relevant approach to teaching social studies focused on American history and civics. Teachers will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with historians, meet character interpreters,and explore engaging instructional strategies, in addition to learning teaching techniques to develop instructional materials designed to improve Social Studies instruction, raise literacy levels, enhance critical thinking skills, and bring history to life in the classroom.
“Our participation sparked a lot of questions and dialogue about the historic timeline between our two countries,” said Nekesha Holdipp. “We were able to highlight the importance of Bermuda’s role in U.S.-Bermuda history, such as providing more context about the Sea Venture ahead of its pivotal journey to Jamestown, Virginia.”
The Consulate supports education exchange opportunities between the United States and Bermuda.” Connectionswere made last year between stakeholders engaged on the history of U.S.-Bermuda relations including Sir John Swan, Minister Owen Darrell, and visitors from the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation Board. Discussions aboutexpanding U.S.-Bermuda education opportunities led Mrs. Carol-Ann Babcock to offer to add Bermudian teachers to the Teacher Institute and the Babcock American Scholarship, considering Bermuda’s important ties to Jamestown. When Mrs. Babcock learned of the Consulate’s interest in expanding U.S. education opportunities for Bermudians and saw the relevance of the Jamestown training to Bermuda’s educators, she offered to include Bermudian teachers in the scholarship application and training recruitment process. Thanks to Mrs. Babcock’s generosity, all costs for tuition, airport transfers between Richmond and Williamsburg, hotel stays, and meals were fully funded. We look forward to continuing this partnership.
Special thanks to the Government of Bermuda forsponsoring airfare costs between Bermuda and Richmond, Virginia, to support these educators in completing this immersive training. Through this collaboration, educators will develop innovative lessons that will bring history to life in the classroom, enhancing their introduction to the U.S.-Bermuda connection and the island’s ties with Jamestown, Virginia. The Bermuda cohort will continue to explore exchange opportunities with their U.S. peers through virtual and in-person engagement.
“The Government of Bermuda is proud to support our dedicated educators as they expand their knowledge and skills through this training opportunity in Williamsburg, Virginia, without worrying about the cost of airfare. Bermuda and the United States have enjoyed a long cooperative relationship, beginning with the Sea Ventures’ fateful journey toward Jamestown in 1609. This journey ultimately brought the first settlers to our island and established our first capital, St. George.
Empowering our teachers strengthens our students’ educational experience and enriches their understanding of Bermuda’s historical connection to the United States. This initiative demonstrates our government’s continued commitment to supporting Bermuda’s educators and fostering an environment where they and their students can thrive. I congratulate the Bermuda 2024 cohort and look forward to continued collaboration with the U.S. Consulate and the Babcock American History Scholarship, which will further enhance the bonds between our countries and support the development of our educators and students,“stated Premier David Burt.
Minister of Education Diallo Rabain added his thanks for the partnership, saying, “The Government of Bermuda extends gratitude to the U.S. Consulate General and Carol-Ann Babcock for their continued support of our dedicated educators within the Bermuda Public School System. Their commitment to providing immersive training in the historic U.S. and Bermuda connection in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, is an invaluable resource for our teachers. This professional development and learning experience empower our teachers and, in turn, fosters optimal learning environments for our children and shapes a brighter future. We also extend our congratulations to the 2024 cohort for their significant role in expanding this partnership.”
Colonial Williamsburg builds on its more than 70-year educational outreach tradition by exploring new technologies, expanding successful initiatives, and offering new ventures to fulfill its educational mission. The Teacher Institute was developed to improve the quality of American history education in schools and ensure that every student gains an understanding of the principles behind the United States’ system of government. The program began in 1990 with 44 fifth-grade teachers from two southern California school districts. Today, almost 10,700 teachers from all 50 states, and six territories and countries have participated since the inception of the Teacher Institute.
The Babcock American History Scholarship is open to educators from private and public schools engaged in U.S.-Bermuda history. Those interested in applying for the 2025Bob and Marion Wilson Training Institute of Colonial Williamsburg should contact Haleycs@state.gov for more information.
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