Subthemes for this year's conference include: 

Local to Global 

Virginia has a deep and varied history throughout its many towns, cities, mountains, and shores. Each location has its own stories, and it’s those stories that create the state’s history. How do you connect state, national, and global social studies content to local history? 

Teaching Hard History

Courses taught in elementary, middle, and high school all have topics that are challenging to teach. Yet, we must teach those topics truthfully and responsibly. How do we teach complicated and diverse history in a culturally responsive way? 

Civic Engagement in the Past, Present, and Future

Civic engagement is a critical part of democratic life. And civic engagement can take many different forms-- from voting, to understanding government systems, to protesting injustices. What past and present examples of civic engagement can we learn from? And how can we prepare students (and ourselves) to responsibly engage in civic life in the future?