When teachers and 38,000 history buffs around the world are relying on you for educational programs and resources, an assist from a trusted partner can be crucial. Just ask Rae Ann Sauer, Director of Education and Outreach for the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

This summer, KET collaborated with NSSAR to host one of KET Education’s Summer PD Days. Hosted in exciting locations across Kentucky, these events connect K-12 educators with primary source-based activities and interactive workshops.

We are super lucky to have KET because it reaches everyone.

Rae Ann Sauer

The final workshop of the summer was held in the NSSAR Education Center and Museum, which is currently under construction to bring immersive American history exhibits to Louisville’s Main Street. Sauer says, “At the core of both SAR and KET is education. We both have the goal of wanting to create a more informed citizenry.”

Anchored by the America250 milestone, the professional development workshops prioritized civics and history instruction. When it comes to teaching early American history, Sauer says a challenge that educators face is time. Often, she explains, teachers only have a few days to teach the entirety of the American Revolution.

That is why KET’s quality educational tools are so important. Sauer says one of the tools that has been useful for teaching U.S. history is PBS LearningMedia’s Mission US, which engages young learners in American history through interactive narrative games.

Sauer also had the opportunity to create digital professional development materials with KET Education this summer. “We were fortunate to go down to the KET studios dressed in 18th-century attire, and we brought what we call our Patriot Chest, which is a traveling trunk that has all kinds of materials,” she explained. The lesson was uploaded to KET’s website to benefit educators who were unable to attend the in-person sessions. “We are super lucky to have KET because it reaches everyone,” she says. “The SAR and KET work to get information and education out to those that may not have access to it.”