Ohio Council for the Social Studies

OCSS Board doing some great work at the Ohio History Connection for our spring board meeting! Lots of great ideas and discussions to better serve social studies educators in our state!

Ohio History Connection

The Michael J. Colligan History Project Presents: Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution
Guest Lecturer Richard Brookhiser
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14
Parrish Auditorium
Miami University Hamilton

Richard Brookhiser is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, a senior editor of National Review, and a columnist for American History. He is the author of many books and host of “John Marshall: The Man Who Made the Supreme Court,” a film by Leo Eaton (2020).

Brookhiser will be speaking about his most recent book, Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution (2024), whose works recorded his personal journey and experience at the birth of a new nation. Trumbull was an aide to George Washington, was jailed as a spy, served under fire, and used his art, in his words, “to preserve and diffuse the memory of the noblest series of actions which have ever presented themselves in the history of man.”

Several of Brookhiser’s works centered on George Washington:

Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington (1997), Rules of Civility: The 110 Precepts That Guided Our First President in War and Peace (2003), and George Washington on Leadership (2008).

Brookhiser has developed other biographies to help readers better understand America’s formative years, and works on the ideas and ideals of its founding, including What Would the Founders Do? Our Questions, Their Answers (2007); and Give Me Liberty: A History of America’s Exceptional Idea (2019).

The Ohio History Connection is pleased to partner with George Washington's Mount Vernon to offer this FREE professional development day designed to address 4th and 8th-grade learning standards on April 9. Explore George Washington and the Ohio Country, African American history, Ohio geography, the Northwest Ordinance, place-based teaching, sourcing with students, writing within the Social Studies, and so much more. Learn more and sign up here https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-ohio-country-columbus-ohio

The window to submit proposals for the 2026 OCSS Conference has been extended to April 5th! Don't miss your chance to play a role in the premier social studies event in the great state of Ohio!

2026 OCSS Annual Conference Proposal Guide The Ohio Council for the Social Studies is now accepting proposals for the 2026 Annual Conference. We are excited to welcome you to the Columbus area to immerse yourself in our conference theme "250 and Beyond: Shaping Ohio’s Classroom for the Future"

Keynote speaker Dr. Tim Anderson, of Settling Ohio: First Peoples and Beyond, will speak about Washington’s activities as a surveyor w/ Christopher Gist’s party in Ohio! See links below:
March 24 Athens Ohio: https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-ohio-country-athens-ohio
April 9 Columbus Ohio:
https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-ohio-country-columbus-ohio

Keynote speaker Dr. Tim Anderson, of Settling Ohio: First Peoples and Beyond, will speak about Washington’s activities as a surveyor w/ Christopher Gist’s party in Ohio! See links below:
March 24 Athens Ohio:
https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-ohio-country-athens-ohio
April 9 Columbus Ohio:
https://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/calendar/events/george-washington-ohio-country-columbus-ohio

Registration for the 70th annual OCSS Fall conference is now open!!! Follow the link to get signed up today!

https://ocss.org/Events

🏛️ It's National Civic Learning Week (March 9–13)! This week, we celebrate the Ohio educators, students, and communities who are shaping the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.
You can see all the events for the week here: https://civiclearningweek.org/events/

We are now accepting submissions for the 2026 OCSS Fall Educators Conference! Follow the link to submit your proposal today to become a part of the premier social studies event in the state of Ohio!

2026 OCSS Annual Conference Proposal Guide The Ohio Council for the Social Studies is now accepting proposals for the 2026 Annual Conference. We are excited to welcome you to the Columbus area to immerse yourself in our conference theme "250 and Beyond: Shaping Ohio’s Classroom for the Future"

Calling all history enthusiasts in Ashland, Crawford, Erie, Huron, Marion, Morrow, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot counties! We need your help! 🏆 Join us as a volunteer judge for the Region 2 History Day contest on March 28 at Terra State Community College! No prior experience is needed—just a love of history and a passion for supporting students as they showcase their incredible research projects. Judges provide valuable feedback and help inspire the next generation of historians. 📅 Date: March 28, 2026 📍 Location: Terra State Community College, Fremont, OH ✅ Sign up today! https://buff.ly/fXeXOGM