Colonial Williamsburg
Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute
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Earn your Salute professional development hours the Colonial way—by joining these engaging, free, live workshops from The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute! Register for each event below, attend, and receive a certificate to email to Rebecca Roach at rebecca.roach@uswep.org . Your hours will be credited as “Optional Activities” at the end of the project year. Check the project invoice for stipend details. Once you've registered, check your email for confirmation with the Zoom link and passcode.
Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute
Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute
The Colonial Williamsburg Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute is a weeklong, immersive residential program that give educators the opportunity to dive deeply into the history of colonial and revolutionary America. Weeklong programs are offered throughout the summer, with participants arriving on Sunday and departing on Friday. Applicants may indicate their preferred week(s) when completing the application.
The first 20 teachers who enroll from across the six WEP and NPE grants will attend the institute for free and receive a travel stipend. Once the 20 scholarship recipients are identified, they will be notified directly with next steps by January 21, 2026. This timeline is important, as Colonial Williamsburg’s application deadline is February 2, 2026.
With so many other opportunities available through our programs, we encourage interested teachers to submit their applications early so they can plan ahead and avoid scheduling conflicts. Selected participants will then be invited to complete the Colonial Williamsburg Bob and Marion Institute online application as the final step.
For more information about the institute, click HERE.
Contact and Conflict: The English and Powhatan
October 2, 2025 | 7:00PM ET
Explore the complex relationship between the Powhatan and the English at Jamestown with guest speaker Mark Summers from Preservation Virginia. This session includes a presentation and primary source activity to bring this history to life in your classroom. Participants earn 1 professional development hour.
Historians at Work: The 250th Anniversary of Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation
October 21, 2025 | 7:00PM ET
Explore the paradox of freedom and slavery in the American Revolution with historian Dr. Derek Litvak of Colonial Williamsburg. Marking the 250th anniversary of Dunmore’s Proclamation, this online program from the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute examines its significance and the broader story of freedom and slavery. A Q&A will follow. Participants earn 1 professional development hour.
Meet a Person From the Past: George Wythe
November 4, 2025 | 7:00PM ET
Meet George Wythe through Robert Weathers of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, who researches and portrays Wythe as a Nation Builder. Discover how Enlightenment ideals shaped his views on government, his influence on Jefferson, and his role in early American thought. Participants earn 1 professional development hour.
In the summer of 2026, 10 TRAILS participants will receive financial support to attend the Colonial Williamsburg Teacher Institute Program. In order to receive the TRAILS scholarship, you must first apply through Wilderness Education Project. Once approved by TRAILS, you will also be required to apply through Colonial Williamsburg using their application.
Onsite Teacher Institute participants are immersed in an authentic, inclusive, engaging learning environment and have an opportunity to exchange ideas with historians, meet character interpreters portraying people of the past, analyze primary sources, participate in historical simulations, and learn museum techniques that actively engage students in history.
Each scholarship includes:
Admission to all programs
Educational resource materials, including primary sources, lesson plans, and digital media
Double occupancy room (there is an option to pay for a private room)
Most meals
Most scholarships include airfare and ground transportation to Williamsburg. Travel arrangements will be confirmed at the time of scholarship acceptance.
Click here for more information.
Bob and Marion Wilson Teaching Resources
Bob and Marion Wilson Teaching Resources
This free resource library includes lesson materials, primary sources, multimedia content, lesson plans, and additional materials for use by teachers, students, and scholars of all ages.
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