08-02-2025
UPJ civics summit gathers Pa. teachers for education, collaboration
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Educational strategies, civil discourse and critical thinking skills were key topics for teachers who gathered Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's second American Civic Education and Literacy Initiative teacher summit.
'This is one of the most exciting things going on in civics education in the state of Pennsylvania,' said David Keller Trevaskis, the Pennsylvania Bar Association's director of pro bono services.
The former educator has a background in teaching civics and represented the state lawyers' organization at the conference. He was among the teachers and presenters who braved the elements to take part in about a dozen sessions and hear from keynote speaker Leon Smith, despite an overnight storm that encased the area in ice and delayed the summit's start by two hours.
PHOTO GALLERY | American Civics Education Initiative Teacher Summit | University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Smith, who teaches at Haverford Senior High School in Delaware County, is the 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. He spoke about how civics and social studies can empower and create a more knowledgeable citizenry; the importance of productive discussions; discrepancies in the number of Black educators and administrators since the Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling; and how society is inundated with news.
'It is essential as citizens we possess skills that allow us to be critical consumers of information,' Smith told the crowd.
Civics and social studies can do that, he said, adding that he believes educators and education have the power to change the world.
Smith said his goals at the summit were to learn strategies he could take back to his coworkers and to explore lessons that could make teaching more meaningful.
Topics of Thursday's sessions included learning more about the National Constitution Center's educational framework; finding time for social studies; introducing history-based mock trials to the classroom; and investigating national issues through project-based learning, among others.
The sessions were offered by representatives from The Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement, the Bill of Rights Institute, Generation Citizen, the National Constitution Center, Classrooms without Borders, Pitt-Johnstown, Fair Districts PA and the Committee of Seventy.
Mark Conlon, a Pitt-Johnstown professor, event organizer and ACE director, said the goal of the workshops was to provide teachers with a specialized space in which they could collaborate – especially in an age when this type of professional development may be limited.
'I kind of live for seeing everyone mingle and making those connections,' he said.
Conlon added that it's important for teachers to remember that 'no matter the upheaval outside in the political realm, we can get together and focus on what the real job is, and that's training the next generation of citizens.'
'I think the whole point of today is we want to be in the know – to refine our practice,' Forest Hills High School teacher Benjamin Grove said.
Thursday was the U.S. government teacher's first trip to the summit. Grove said he was intrigued by the collaborative element of the event and believed it would 'help us become better educators.'
Pitt-Johnstown student Joseph Ruble considered the summit a chance for educators to explore diversity, he said. The secondary education major is pursuing a track in social studies and currently student-teaching in the Greater Johnstown School District.
Teachers and students will convene again at Pitt- Johnstown from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 3 for the second Democracy Bowl – a follow-up to the summit. This event will encourage students to explore civics and social studies education in an environment full of historical lessons, conversation and friendly competition.
For more information about the Democracy Bowl, contact Conlon at mac699@
