"Schools do more than train children's minds.  They also help nurture their souls by reinforcing the values they learn at home and in their communities.  I believe that one of the best ways we can help out schools to do this is by supporting students' rights to voluntarily practice their religious beliefs, including prayer in schools....  For more than 200 years, the First Amendment has protected our religious freedom and allowed many faiths to flourish in our homes, in our work place and in our schools. Clearly understood and sensibly applied, it works."

Bill Clinton,
former President

"The human mind is our fundamental resource."

John F. Kennedy

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Edmund Burke

"Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands.  But like the ship's captain on the ocean's waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny."

Carl Schurz

"America's future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live."

Jane Addams

"Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and nations alike."

Theodore Roosevelt

"The fifth freedom is freedom from ignorance."

Lyndon B. Johnson

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."

Edmund Burke

"Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind."

Theodore Roosevelt
 

Events and Awards

AHEF Reaches and Impacts Nation's Teachers and Students with
Distribution of America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty

AHEF has produced continuing major growth of AHEF's marketing and Lesson Plan distribution through America.  A simple review of AHEF's statistics underscores this growth:

             Year             Website Hits       Website Page Views       Resource Requests

           2004-2005             12,510                         28,410                          13,250
           2005-2006             21,923                         55,405                          16,300
           2006-2007             29,153                         80,199                            6,140
           2007-2008             49,102                       168,555                           14,240
           2008-2009             72,723                       267,158                           17,889
           2009-2010             74,097                       252,371                           14,471

AHEF has distributed approximately 97,000 American Heritage lesson CDs to educators and homeschoolers, reaching 1.6 million students in the nation. However, this number is only about 6% of all students currently studying American history. Currently, AHEF is working on expanding its programs and developing resources to also include college-level students.
                                                                                            

                   National and world maps (above) show weekly and monthly website activity for AHEF.

AHEF's lesson plans are becoming known not only in the United States but around the world! Readers from the following countries have recently logged on and read about AHEF and its programs:

           Argentina                            Australia                        Bahamas                            Bangladesh
           Belgium                              Bermuda                        Bosnia and Herzegovina        Brazil
           Canada                               Chile                              China                                  Costa Rica        
           Cote D'Ivoire                        Cyprus                           Czech Republic                   Denmark
           Egypt                                  Fiji                                 France                                 French Polynesia
           Georgia                              German                           Ghana                                 Greece
           Guam                                 Guatemala                      Honduras                              India
           Indonesia                            Iran                                 Ireland                                 Israel
           Italy                                    Jamaica                          Japan                                  Jordan
           Korea                                  Kuwait                           Lebanon                              Lithuania
           Madagascar                         Malaysia                        Mauritius                            Mexico
           Morocco                              Netherlands                    Netherlands Antilles             New Zealand
           Nigeria                                Norway                           Oman                                  Pakistan
           Phillipines                            Poland                           Portugal                               Puerto Rico
           Qatar                                  Romania                        Russian Federation               Saudi Arabia
           Singapore                            Slovakia                         South Africa                         Spain
           Sri Lanka                            Sweden                         Switzerland                          Taiwan
           Thailand                             Trinidad and Tobago        Turkey                             United Arab Emirates
           United Kingdom                   Ukraine                          Venezuela                          Vietnam
           Virgin Islands

American Heritage Month in November
Houston Independent School District and State of Texas
American Heritage Month - Celebrate Freedom Week
Constitution Day - Veterans Day

American Heritage Month gives us all an opportunity to reflect on our roots as Americans from a fresh perspective.  It is a time to remember that we Americans have brought with us many different heritages, but we have joined together in this country as one people. The Declaration of Independence sets forth our fundamental values, and the Constitution serves to protect those values.  Our schools, teachers, students, and other citizens help preserve and strengthen the miracle that is America. As Thomas Jefferson said, 'If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.'"                                      
                                                                                      
                                                                                       HISD Social Studies Coordinator Michael Dorsey and
                                                                                                                     Citizenship Award Representatives speak at HISD
                                                                                                                     American Heritage Month Celebration.

Houston Independent School District (HISD) among other school districts celebrates American Heritage Month in November.  American Heritage Month supports the teaching and understanding of the facts, philosophy, and values which make up our nation's unique history and upon which are nation is founded and ever affected.  American Heritage Month is an opening point for teachers in emphasizing education and ideas through resources, lessons, and activities for students that further the understanding of American heritage. The American Heritage Exemplary Citizenship Award will be presented to the annual recipient.  American Heritage month will be held in conjunction with the celebration of Veteran's Day. The Houston Independent School District offers information and additional resources for teachers at HISD Social Studies Curriculum Department.  AHEF makes available to teachers the lesson plan resource, America's Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty, along with American Heritage Month posters and other resources for use, reference, and ideas during this month and throughout the school year.

Celebrate Freedom Week, passed by the Texas Legislature, addresses social studies instruction in public schools. Celebrate Freedom Week, designated the week including November 11 in public schools, encourages appropriate instruction, as determined by each school district, in each social studies class. Instruction should include study of the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, in their historical context. Constitution Day occurs during this week.

View a
HISD American Heritage Month Celebration and Music Program
Click picture below to view video.
(Uses Windows Media Player)

View an historic
HISD American Heritage Month Kick-Off Celebration
(with address by former Superintendent Dr. Rod Paige)
Click on picture below to view video.
(Uses Windows Media Player)

The National Society for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Mary Smith Lockwood Medal for Education
presented to
AHEF Co-Founder Eugenie "Jeannie" Sampson Kamrath Gonzalez
October 7, 2011

AHEF Co-Founder Jeannie Gonzalez was presented the 2011 highest education award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for "Outstanding Achievement Through Educational Pursuits."  DAR awarded its prestigious Mary Smith Lockwood Medal for Education to Gonzalez on October 7, 2011, in Houston, TX.

Gonzalez and her deceased husband, AHEF Co-Founder Dr. Richard J. Gonzalez, had previously been awarded the National Society for the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Good Citizenship Medal "in recognition of notable services in behalf of our American principles."

State of Texas Resolution
in honor of
AHEF Co-Founder Eugenie "Jeannie" Sampson Kamrath Gonzalez
September 15, 2009

The state of Texas presented Jeannie Gonzalez, Co-Founder of AHEF, with a resolution honoring her outstanding dedication to her community. Mrs. Gonzalez has served the community as an active volunteer and leader of numerous worthy endeavors and civic efforts for more than five decades.  Mrs. Gonzalez is Co-Founder of AHEF.  She also served as Houston Area Forum Vice-President, Houston Grand Jury Association board member, Mayor's Charter Study Committee member, Houston Independent School District Department of Education board member, and Houston ISD trustee. She was the 2004 recipient of the American Heritage Citizenship Award.

The National Society for the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR)
Distinguished Patriot Award
presented to
AHEF Co-Founder and President Jack Kamrath
May 21, 2008

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR) has honored Jack Kamrath, AHEF Co-Founder and President, with its 2008 Distinguished Patriot Award "in recognition of his leadership in preserving America's heritage and the teaching of good citizenship principles."  This award recognizes the work of Kamrath and AHEF for promotion of good citizenship education, learning, and training and for service to the nation that is beyond the normal call of good citizenship.  Those who have received this special award from the Society include such notables as President George W. Bush, Frank Buckles (last surviving American soldier of WWI), General William Westmoreland, and entertainer Bob Hope.




                                                                                                        
                                                                                                         AHEF Co-Founder and President Jack Kamrath
                                                                                                                                           speaks at a National Society of the Sons of the
                                                                                                                                           American Revolution (SAR) Conference

  AHEF Co-Founder/President Jack Kamrath, SAR Executive Committee Member Bruce Wilcox,
AHEF Representative Claudine Kamrath, and AHEF Vice-President/Project Director Angela Kamrath

Houston Independent School District
American Heritage Citizenship Award
Theme: "We The People"
Jeannie Kamrath Gonzalez, Co-founder of AHEF
2004 Recipient

The 2004 recipient of HISD's American Heritage Citizenship Award was Jeannie Kamrath Gonzalez, co-founder of AHEF, for her initiative, innovation, involvement, and passion in support of HISD's American Heritage Month and the values and ideas it uplifts and upholds through education.
 

Printing and Imaging Association of Mid America and
the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast
Graphic Excellence Award of Merit
America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty
2002 Recipient

The America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty Binder Set in conjunction with HISD Printing Services received an award of merit for high-quality design and printing by the Printing and Imaging Association of Mid America and the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast at the 2002 Graphic Excellence Awards Competition .  The pieces entered represent the finest material produced by leading printers and designers in this part of the country.
 

AHEF National Resource Distribution

AHEF and SAR have partnered and distributed information and educational resources and the America's Heritage CD nationwide at many educational conferences.  AHEF is familiar to some educators, and positive comments are often heard from those who have received the CD from other sources such as outreach functions.  Teachers say the free American Heritage lesson plan CD is a time-saving tool for lesson planning.  They enjoy historic period-specific information that is time-saving and easy to use in their teaching. Many teachers are interested in an accurate portrayal of events surrounding the formation of the country. According to SAR Representative Jack Pitzner, "teachers are always looking for materials that make their life easier.  Teachers are responsible for covering so much material that when we can provide such a great tool such as our CD, it is a great asset to them."  SAR Representative Christos Christou Jr. stated at one conference, "The materials were great and easily understood. A lot of teachers asked what we were about.  Many asked for CDs. A majority of attendees said they are all about primary sources now and would love to have a resource that contained the original documents. Many were impressed with the content such as the Federalist Papers, the Declaration of Independence, the Mayflower Compact, and so on.  All loved the one-page lesson plans that could be printed directly from the CD.  They found this very helpful."  Many teachers express hope that AHEF will continued to provide resources.

      
AHEF Representatives Jack Kamrath, Elmer Remke, and
Angela Kamrath host AHEF-SAR exhibit.

     An SAR Representative presents information about SAR and AHEF.

SAR Representatives Ron Schrouf (left), SAR-OKC President Michael Sanford (middle), and Pendleton Woods (right) host an AHEF-SAR exhibit.

 

KSSSAR former president Barnet Ellis (left), MOSSAR CG Commander Bob Grover (middle), and Fred Kaffenberger (right) host an AHEF-SAR exhibit. (Photo by Peter Grassl)