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Meryl Streep Educator Award Honors Teachers Making History

In a significant boost for gender studies in education, Kristen Kelly and Serene Williams, social studies educators at Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP), are set to receive the inaugural Meryl Streep Educator's Award on November 6. Their tireless work has been instrumental in promoting a new Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Women's History course, known as WAPUSH, which aims to center women's roles in historical narratives and academia.

Launched four years ago, the WAPUSH campaign recently achieved a remarkable milestone by obtaining endorsement letters from 100 universities nationwide. This critical support is a decisive step towards incorporating the course into the official curriculum recognized by College Board. The campaign seeks additional commitments from 250 high schools to offer this groundbreaking AP course, which aims to bridge a significant gap in current AP offerings.

As Williams articulated, "Women's contributions to society are overlooked in current AP courses. Young people deserve to understand the importance of women's impact on history and politics." This initiative aims not only to enrich academic offerings but also to foster a deeper understanding of women's essential contributions to societal development.

The campaign was initially inspired by a Harvard teaching grant and took root through extensive research at the Schlesinger Library. Driven by student enthusiasm and involvement, the WAPUSH initiative has seen students present at national conferences, engage in 28 scholar interviews, and document the California suffrage movement. Additionally, they contributed to historical scholarship by creating 16 Wikipedia pages about notable women through an initiative called the "Women in Red" project.

SHP senior Alondra Flores (SHP '27) has experienced a unique perspective as both a student in the WAPUSH pilot class and a campaign leader. She explained, "I've had the privilege of not only taking the WAPUSH pilot class here at SHP but helping lead the WAPUSH campaign in hopes girls will have access to the full history of women's contributions." Her involvement has included conducting original historical research, further enhancing the campaign's credibility and outreach.

Moreover, Kelly and Williams have collaborated on an International Baccalaureate textbook focusing on feminism and revolution, with their next publication centered on teaching U.S. suffrage rights set for release this spring. A documentary detailing the WAPUSH movement, filmed at Harvard, has recently been released, alongside a mini-documentary created by Sacred Heart itself.

As junior Tina Zhang (SHP '28) noted, the essence of the WAPUSH campaign goes beyond academic engagement: "To me, it's not just about learning a more complete version of history, but also about helping students, especially young girls, see themselves reflected in the people who shaped our world." This focus on representation is key to the campaign's mission, aiming to inspire the next generation of learners through inclusive and comprehensive historical education.

As Sacred Heart Schools continues its commitment to shaping young minds and fostering educational equity, the recognition of Kelly and Williams through the Meryl Streep Educator's Award not only honors their contributions but also ignites hope for a more inclusive academic future. By advocating for the inclusion of women's history in the AP curriculum, they pave the way for more schools to adopt an education framework that values the diversity of contributions made by all individuals in shaping history.

ABOUT SACRED HEART SCHOOLS, ATHERTON

Sacred Heart Schools, located on a sprawling 63-acre campus in Atherton, California, was established in 1898. The Catholic, independent institution serves students from preschool through the 12th grade and has an enrollment of approximately 1,185 students. It is proud to be a member of the International Network of Schools of the Sacred Heart.