About Me

My name is Isaac W. Farhadian. I teach AP U.S. Government and Politics, U.S. Government, and Economics to seniors at John H. Pitman High School. I also teach Constitution 101 to students at Turlock Adult School. I am the advisor to the Civic Leaders of America, formerly the Junior State of America, Chapter at Pitman High. CLA is a nonpartisan student-run organization in the country. Students participate in congressional simulations, debates, and thought talks at the local and state level. In 2023-2024, we won the National Civic Impact Award for best civics chapter in the entire United States.

My education includes the following: I have a B.A. in History (Summa Cum Laude), a B.A. in Political Science (Summa Cum Laude), an M.A. in History (with Distinction), a single-subject teaching credential in Social Studies (4.0), and a second M.A. in Political Science as a James Madison Fellow (California Fellow). My Master’s Thesis, “The Politics of the Death Penalty: Sex, Party Identification, Youth Perspectives, and the Determinants of Support for Capital Sentencing” earned the Outstanding MA Thesis Project award from the School of Politics and International Affairs (SPIA) on 5/2024 as well as the UIS University Outstanding Master’s Thesis for the 2023-2024 academic year.

I have had the opportunity to study abroad three times in two different countries: twice at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel and once at Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

I may be contacted through my school email: ifarhadian@turlock.k12.ca.us.

John H. Pitman High School

The Mission Statement of Pitman High is "Success for Each Student…Pitman students will graduate as responsible citizens who are college and career ready." The vision, goals, and site commitments can be found here.

Civic Leaders of America (CLA)

I founded the CLA chapter at our site and I serve as its advisor. Our chapter has earned the Ernest A. Rogers Award for best civics Chapter of the Year in all of Northern California for four years. Read news articles about our chapter winning this award for the following school years: 2019-2020, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024. In 2023-2024, we won the National Civic Impact Award for best civics chapter in the entire United States.

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation was established by the United States Congress in 1986 to encourage outstanding current and future secondary school teachers of American history, American government, and social studies in grades 7 through 12 to undertake graduate study of the roots, framing, principles, and development of the Constitution of the United States. Each year, one social science teacher is selected from each state and awarded this fellowship.

NCC Fellow

I was selected to be a part of the first cohort for the Constitutional Fellows Program (2023-2024). The Constitutional Fellows Program is a year-long academic commitment with the National Constitution Center to engage in professional development, focus group feedback, activity design, and evaluation. I was selected to pilot the new Constitution 101 course.

TAC Member

I was selected to be on the Teacher Advisory Council (TAC) for the Constitution Center (2022-Present). TAC supports the Center by sharing best practices for teaching constitutional and civic topics and advises the Center on programs and resources that would best support classroom instruction on constitutional fundamentals. My students have participated in many Scholar Exchanges with the Center.

iCivics Teacher Fellow & Ambassador

I was selected to be an iCivics Teacher Facilitator Fellow for California, 2022—2023 and have been a member of the Educator Network for the last 5 years. I work with a small state cohort to develop lesson plans, test new materials, and engage in professional development. I was selected to be an iCivics Ambassador for 2023-2025. As an ambassador, I work with a small national cohort to develop lesson plans, test new materials, and engage in professional development.

RetroReport

I was selected to be RetroReport Ambassador. Ambassadors help share Retro Report resources with fellow educators and provide feedback on teachers’ needs. Retro Report is an independent, non-profit news organization that produces short-form documentary films connecting past events to current news, providing historical context and fostering critical thinking.

Council on Foreign Relations

I was selected to be a CFR Education Ambassador. CFR Education, the educational arm of the Council on Foreign Relations, helps middle, high school, and higher education students understand and engage with today’s most pressing global issues. The Ambassador Program brings together educators from across the country who are dedicated to helping students make sense of the world around them.

I was awarded a Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellowship (TGC) for 2021-2022. Fulbright TGC participants complete a rigorous, semester-long online course focused on best practices in global education; gather for an in-person professional development workshop in Washington, D.C.; and travel abroad for two to three weeks to immerse themselves in another country’s culture and education system. Participants create a global education guide that serves as a resource in their local community to share the skills, experiences, and resources they have developed throughout the program.

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