NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (April 20, 2026) — Lillian M. Hemphill, a sixth-grade ELA teacher at Sylvan Hills Middle School in the Pulaski County Special School District, has been selected as a delegate to the “We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History & Civics” national fellowship program at the College of William & Mary (W&M).
Hemphill is among 100 teacher delegates selected from all 50 states to attend the Congress of Educators, a four-day residential institute taking place in July 2026 across the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia.
Led by W&M’s Strategic Cultural Partnerships division and undertaken in partnership with the National Council for History Education (NCHE), the program is funded by a $2.89 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education — the largest such award to a Virginia institution of higher learning under the American History and Civics Education National Activities program.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to represent Arkansas educators in the inaugural We the Teachers Congress. This opportunity is more than a personal achievement—it’s a chance to amplify the voices, passion, and dedication of teachers across our state. I look forward to learning, growing, and bringing back meaningful experiences that will inspire my students, strengthen my classroom, my school, and my state,” said Hemphill.
"Welcoming 100 teachers from across the nation to the Historic Triangle is a remarkable opportunity,” said Mark Hofer, executive director of Strategic Cultural Partnerships and professor in the W&M School of Education. “These teacher-leaders will explore America’s founding where it happened — walking the same ground as the founders, grappling with the same questions – and prepare them to lead this work back in their home states.”
Timed to the nation’s 250th anniversary, “We the Teachers” reinforces the university’s national reputation for developing civic leadership and will equip teachers with evidence-based pedagogy to create stronger learning outcomes for students across the country.
(Lillian Hemphill, sixth-grade ELA teacher at Sylvan Hills Middle School, surrounded by her students)
“This intensive professional development experience will change teachers,” Hofer said, “and through them, how their students understand who we are as a nation — and who we will become."
Hosted at W&M and partner cultural institutions, the Congress will immerse delegates in primary source analysis, historical inquiry, civil dialogue, and evidence-based argumentation — connecting America’s founding principles to classroom-ready practice.
Fellows will return to their schools equipped with professional video recordings, facilitator guides, and classroom resources to launch local professional learning communities. The initiative aims to establish at least 100 such communities nationwide, each engaging 15 or more educators.
"The National Council for History Education’s mission is to champion history education and uplift history education professionals," said Jessica Ellison, executive director of NCHE. "This ‘We the Teachers’ program does exactly that! We can’t wait to convene these educators from across the country to learn with and from one another."
(Lillian Hemphill, sixth-grade ELA teacher at Sylvan Hills Middle School, teaching in a classroom)
Delegates also receive early access to free, on-demand microcourses and digital credentials through the “Educating for the 250th” microcredential pathway, built on lilyPD, an innovative teacher professional development platform designed by Strategic Cultural Partnerships and launched for public beta in Spring 2026.
"lilyPD is how We the Teachers reaches the teacher who couldn’t come to Williamsburg," said Hofer. "It’s the infrastructure that turns a fellowship into a movement."
ABOUT WE THE TEACHERS
“We the Teachers: Preparing the Next Generation Through History & Civics” is administered through the W&M’s Strategic Cultural Partnerships division in partnership with the National Council for History Education and supported by a three-year $2.89 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program equips K–12 educators with deep content knowledge, evidence-based pedagogy, and classroom-ready tools that connect America’s founding principles to civic life. Over three years, the program will convene 300 teacher delegates from all 50 states and reach thousands more through free online professional development. Learn more at wm.edu/scp.
ABOUT WILLIAM & MARY
Founded by Royal Charter in 1693, William & Mary is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the country. The Alma Mater of the Nation is a preeminent university, combining the depth and breadth of a liberal arts and sciences education with the disciplined exploration and innovation of a leading, global research university. A vibrant and inclusive community, William & Mary cultivates creative thinkers, principled leaders and compassionate global citizens equipped for lives of meaning and distinction. As a “Public Ivy,” the university convenes great minds and hearts to meet the most pressing needs of our time.
ABOUT STRATEGIC CULTURAL PARTNERSHIPS
Strategic Cultural Partnerships catalyzes W&M’s cultural and historic resources to generate new knowledge and advance understanding. Through partnership, they bridge divides and create common ground. SCP transcends the boundaries between past and present, scholarship and practice, and campus and community to illuminate our diverse stories and imagine our collective future.
ABOUT NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR HISTORY EDUCATION
The National Council for History Education (NCHE) promotes historical literacy by encouraging and creating opportunities for teachers and students to benefit from more history, better taught.