Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge

Our vision is to have all Americans actively engage in their democracy by celebrating our American heritage, defending the Constitution, and protecting individual freedoms. Through educational programs for both youth and teachers, Freedoms Foundation imparts an understanding of our national heritage, the values upon which our country was founded, the free enterprise system that has allowed us to prosper, and the importance of responsible, engaged citizenship.

The four-day residential Spirit of America Youth Leadership Program, for teens in grades 9 – 12, is made available 10 to 15 times each year. It is supported by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, who deems it a very valuable civic education experience and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS).

The Service Learning in Public Policy (SLiPP) Program is a week-long advanced leadership development program for 10th – 12th grade students who want to learn how to become catalysts for positive change in their world. The program focuses on public policy in the fields of health, environmental conservation, and law.

Offered during the school year, the Freedoms Foundation's History Encounters Program for elementary school students and their teachers provides age-appropriate, week-long, expert-led educational historic activities and tours in locations such as Philadelphia; New York; Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and Gettysburg.

Freedoms Foundation Graduate Programs for Educators have been offered annually since 1965 and have always been fully-accredited by major colleges and universities. Thousands of educators from all 50 states have attended this program that focuses on American history, as well as the Constitution, public policy and other civic-related topics in contemporary U.S. society.

Freedoms Foundation also serves as the Pennsylvania state coordinator for the California-based, nonprofit educational organization, the Center for Civic Education and its programs: We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, designed to promote civic competence and responsibility among U.S. upper elementary and secondary students; and We the People: Project Citizen, targeting the same population and designed as a means to learn how to become engaged citizens by monitoring and participating in the public policy development process.

For the past 69 years, Freedoms Foundation has conducted programs of education emphasizing the principles underlying the unique freedoms enjoyed by citizens of the United States through our constitutional form of government and has as promoted good citizenship through our awards programs. By means of our student programs we have encouraged America's youth to get involved, and through our graduate/professional development programs we have helped teachers implement lessons on history and good citizenship using their own educational styles. Nearly 200,000 students and 20,000 educators representing all 50 states have participated in Freedoms Foundation's educational programs.

There is no doubt that Freedoms Foundation has made a difference in the lives of America's youth. Since 1949, more than 5 million students have been impacted by our organization's citizenship programs. In fact, our impact has grown significantly over the last three years from 12,000 in 2012 to 45,000 in 2016. More than 80% of our alumni register to vote at their first opportunity, as opposed to the 60% national average. And more than 75% of our students volunteer in a community service project or program, as opposed to the 23% national average.

In the 2011, "Guardians of Democracy" update of the Civic Mission of Schools report, Freedoms Foundation was listed as one of the top five national organizations providing high-quality extracurricular activities promoting civic knowledge skills.

There is no doubt that Freedoms Foundation has made a difference in the lives of America's youth. Since 1949, over 5 million students have been impacted by our organization's citizenship programs. More than 80% of our alumni register to vote at their first opportunity, as opposed to the 60% national average. And more than 75% of our students volunteer in a community service project or program, as opposed to the 23% national average.

1. Increase the impact of our programs through the expansion of our graduate professional development teacher program. We feel strongly we can build upon our success in 2017 and secure an additional $75,000 in funding which would allow us to offer 8 programs for 400 teachers during the summer of 2018. This will represent over a 15% increase in the number of educators participating in 2017. The eight programs are:
• From Immigrants to Citizens: History and Civic Values
• Heroes & Heroines: Transforming Character through Biography
• Medal of Honor Legacy: War on Terror
• Medal of Honor Legacy: World War II
• Building the Nation: Entrepreneurs & American History
• Civil War Central: Nashville, TN to Atlanta, GA
• American Revolution North: Boston, MA to Saratoga, NY
• Civil Rights Movement: Atlanta, GA to Little Rock, AR
From Immigrants to Citizens, Building the Nation, and Civil Rights Movement are all newly developed programs.
2. Add one additional Spirit of America Youth Leadership Program. Freedoms Foundation Volunteer Chapters will sponsor 1 additional program for up to 100 students in Spring 2018.
3. Our plan is to continue our marketing initiative of our History Encounters (elementary and middle school) program to drive future growth.