July 27–28 | Online and In-Person in Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian National Education Summit
Join Soledad O'Brian and hear from museum experts and teacher practitioners in free online and in-person skill-building workshops on teaching a full and inclusive history of our nation.
Together We Thrive: Creating Our Shared Future through Education
Join us online or in-person on July 27–28 for the free, hybrid two-day event designed to support PreK–12 educators, librarians, media specialists, and policymakers nationwide. This year's theme is: “Together We Thrive: Creating Our Shared Future through Education,” acknowledging that given the right conditions and resources, all children can thrive.
Featured speakers and keynote sessions, offered virtually and in-person:
Keynote Presentation: Kurt Russell, 2022 National Teacher of the Year (Virtual)
Wednesday, July 27, 11:00 – 11:50 AM ET
Kurt Russell was recently named 2022 National Teacher of the Year and the Ohio Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Kurt Russell advocates for classrooms to better reflect the students within them — from a curriculum that reflects their backgrounds and identities to a more diverse teaching profession. Kurt teaches history at Oberlin High School in Oberlin, Ohio, where he was born and raised. He also serves as faculty advisor for the student-led Black Student Union and is the head coach for the school’s varsity basketball team.
He will be interviewed by Audrianna Wilde, a student journalist from the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University following his Keynote Address.
Plenary: Let’s Talk: Our Shared Future Through Education (Virtual)
Wednesday, July 27, 3:00 – 4:15 PM ET
Since January 2021, 42 states have introduced bills or taken other steps that would restrict teaching or limit how teachers discuss racism, sexism, and gender identity. To date, fourteen states have imposed these bans and restrictions either through legislation or other avenues.
Join Soledad O’Brien and representatives from the National Council for the Social Studies, National Council for Teachers of English, National Science Teachers Association, and National Council for Teachers of Mathematics to discuss their joint position statement "The Freedom to Teach." This panel will begin with remarks from Anna King, the CEO of the National Parent Teacher Association, who will offer a national perspective on what the association is hearing from parents and communities across the nation.
Keynote Presentation: Dr. Aaliyah Samuel (Virtual and In-Person)
Thursday, July 28, 11:00 – 11:50 AM ET
As educators face pressing priorities around students’ learning and well-being, social and emotional learning (SEL) has never been more important. Join CASEL’s CEO, Dr. Aaliyah A. Samuel, to explore what it takes to implement SEL systemically and effectively, and discuss what the increased attention to SEL means for the future of education.
Closing Keynote: Jason Reynolds (Virtual and In-Person)
Thursday, July 28, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
Join the Under Secretary for Education, Dr. Monique M. Chism, for a Conversation with award winning children’s author Jason Reynolds. Reynolds is the current Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and author of more than a dozen books for young people. He interacts with young people across the nation and helps galvanize youth to embrace and enjoy literature. He will share more about his own learning journey, creative works, and what he is hearing from students across the nation that can help inform educators. In addition, there will be time for elements of fun, creativity, and joy.