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Initiatives in the News

<p>National organizations recognized Penn State's Hammel Human Rights Initiative with two separate research and school-university partnership awards.&nbsp;</p>

Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative earns research, school-partnership awards
A man in dark pants and a black top and blazer is seated in a chair in a dark blue room

Iran War and Other Tough Topics Give K-12 Teachers Chance to Teach Students How Not What to Think
A young male student with dark hair and an orange polo shirt receives instruction at his desk from an African-American female teacher

We must reinvent the way we teach to win back students
a dark haired white woman in a black shirt has her hand in the air and a look of excitement

How a Penn State initiative helps educators navigate difficult topics like the Holocaust
<p>A Penn State faculty member's critically acclaimed film recently won its 10th film festival award: "Best Cinematography (Documentary)," from Florida’s Dunedin International Film Festival.&nbsp;The documentary feature tells the story of Gloria Jean Merriex’s transformation into a trailblazing teacher who used hip hop and dance to lead her high-need school from an F to an A on the state standardized state test.</p>

Penn State faculty member's acclaimed film wins its 10th festival award
A grey haired white man in a navy blazer sits crosslegged on a bench outside of Willard building on Penn State's campus

Boaz Dvir is the first recipient of the Nicholas P. Jones Faculty Award
A group of African American male and females and a white male stand in front of a movie poster

Faculty member's award-winning film a finalist for awards at several festivals
A black background has a spiral white sillohuette of a face drawing with a hand drawing it

A Smarter Approach to the Hardest Topics
a dark haired white woman in a black shirt has her hand in the air and a look of excitement

How a Penn State initiative helps educators navigate difficult topics like the Holocaust
Two men talking

Participants in human rights initiative share experiences with college students
Woman with brown hair smiles, a second woman with black hair smiles

Penn State Human Rights Initiative faculty win mentorship, dissertation awards
Teacher Gloria Jean Merriex with students

Faculty member's documentary about innovative teacher gets national distribution
a man in a dark suit with a light shirt presents in front of a projector screen

Innovative approaches for addressing difficult topics in K-12 schools
a seated woman with brown hair and glasses talks to a group of people one man with glasses and grey hair and another woman with brown hair and glasses

Human Rights Initiative produces free online training about difficult topics
Man in a white button down shirt points to a person with their hand raised

Holocaust Education Initiative to share proof of its strong NEH program impact
A movie poster shows a Black woman who is an educator with the words 'Class of her own' in a chalk-type font.

How educator Gloria Jean Merriex used dance, drills and devotion to turn around a failing elementary school in a year
A man in dark pants and a black top and blazer is seated in a chair in a dark blue room

Human Rights Initiative director to conclude ‘Dialogues of Democracy’ series
Brick sign that reads &quot;College of Education&quot;

Navajo Nation, Penn State team receive grant for Indigenous character education
two older men sit next to each other; man on the left is wearing a dark suit, blue shirt, and yellow tie; man on the right is wearing a navy blue sweater

Alumni brothers hope their gift propels the Initiative battling hatred
circle group with four adults shown, three facing the camera and one with back to camera, two women with cloth masks and dark shirts and one man with a cloth mask and red sweater

The Initiative earns prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities grant

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