Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities Fellowship
About the Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities Fellowship
The National Constitution Center’s Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) Fellowship welcomed its first cohort of educators in the Spring 2026, and will welcome 2-3 more Fellows in 2027. Fellows will work to expand access to constitutional learning and civil dialogue in rural and remote areas across the United States. Learn more about the Fellowship, and how to apply.
CERRC Fellows: Bringing Constitutional Learning to Your School
On the Road
CERRC Fellows will facilitate processional learning sessions around the country, bringing the Center’s education framework and resources directly to educators nationwide. Check out the Professional Learning calendar to see if there is a CERRC-led session happening near you!
At Your School
Interested in bringing a CERRC Fellow to your school or district to facilitate a professional learning session?
The Center’s Education Team offers customizable professional learning sessions, allowing teachers and administrators to request sessions that fit their school schedule. Please complete the form below if interested in planning a session for your school. A member of our team will follow up with you.
Rural Educator Cohorts
The National Constitution Center's Rural Educator Cohorts are yearlong professional learning communities led by Civic Education for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) Fellows. Designed specifically for educators serving rural and remote communities, these regional cohorts provide sustained opportunities to deepen constitutional knowledge, strengthen instructional practice, and build lasting connections with fellow educators across the country.
Through monthly virtual cohort meetings, personalized office hours, and ongoing engagement with CERRC Fellows, participants will explore the Constitution using the Center's trusted educational framework of historical foundations through storytelling, constitutional thinking skills, and civil dialogue and reflection. Along the way, educators will gain practical strategies for integrating the Center's trusted, nonpartisan classroom resources into their teaching while building a lasting network of peers committed to expanding constitutional learning in rural communities. Applications for the 2027-2028 Rural Educator Cohorts will open in summer 2027.
Reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
Our Fellows:
Natalia Burgess is an advisor for the Georgia Council for Social Studies (GCSS), a doctoral candidate in Middle and Secondary Education at Kennesaw State University, and was secondary social studies educator with six years of classroom experience in Sumter and Peach counties. She developed the World History Quad Text curriculum, currently distributed statewide by GCSS, where she is also a four-time conference presenter. Previously selected as a Kennesaw State University Teacher Ambassador to study Holocaust education in Germany, Burgess has published lesson plans on the Camp David Accords in Teaching Social Studies in the Peach State.
Michael Davis brings ten years of public education experience to his community in Chouteau, Oklahoma, where he has built a record of advocacy for civic education through open dialogue and student engagement. He was most recently named site Teacher of the Year at Oliver Middle School in Broken Arrow Public Schools for the 2025–2026 school year, and serves as a Middle School Constitutional Fellow and Teacher Advisory Board member for the National Constitution Center.
Joseph Emery has taught AP U.S. History and AP U.S. Government and Politics in Fairfax, Vermont for thirteen years, advancing civic education through voter registration initiatives, student trips to the state house, and student interviews with sitting legislators at the state and federal level. He has also partnered with the Vermont Secretary of State's office to develop civic education resources for teachers across the state.
Nick Hegge brings sixteen years of classroom experience to his work in Lincoln, Nebraska, having taught Government, Civics, and dual-credit American History at Conestoga Public Schools and Logan View Public Schools in rural Nebraska. A 2020 James Madison Fellow, Hegge has served on the National Constitution Center's Teacher Advisory Board since 2018, and has long worked to connect rural students to their communities through mock trial, athletics, and civic engagement.
Rebecca Smart based in East Tennessee, brings more than two decades of experience as a secondary social studies teacher and instructional coach. Smart specializes in personalized learning, primary source pedagogy, and high-impact curriculum design. She has developed national and state curriculum resources and trained teachers with civic organizations including the National Constitution Center, the White House Historical Association, Retro Report, and Texas Law-Related Education. Smart is a 2024 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching Award recipient and holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Tech University and a B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.
Working alongside local educators and school districts, Fellows will lead professional development programs, facilitate peer-learning networks, and provide ongoing coaching and support. By investing in teachers and building lasting local capacity, the fellowship seeks to create sustainable communities of constitutional learning that expand access to high-quality civic education long after any single workshop or visit has ended.
CERRC Fellows in the News
CERRC Fellow, Joe Emery, was interviewed by NBC5 in Burlington VT, about the experience and the importance of bringing high-quality civic education to students and educators across the country.
Expanding Civic Learning in Vermont by My Champlain Valley
“Educators across Vermont are finding new ways to bring civic learning into their classrooms, with support and resources from the National Constitution Center. The story highlights the Center’s work to expand access to high-quality civic education and equip teachers with tools to help students engage thoughtfully with the Constitution and their communities...”
Can better civics lessons strengthen democracy? These teachers hope so by Knoxville News Sentinel
“Teachers are working to make civics more meaningful and relevant for students, exploring new approaches to constitutional learning and civic dialogue. The National Constitution Center is helping educators build the knowledge and skills they need to bring these conversations into classrooms and strengthen students’ understanding of American democracy...”
Nebraska teacher selected for first rural civics fellowship by Lincoln Journal Star
“A Nebraska teacher is among the first educators selected for the National Constitution Center’s new fellowship focused on expanding civic education in rural and remote communities. The program gives educators opportunities to deepen their constitutional knowledge, develop new approaches to civic learning, and bring NCC resources and frameworks back to their schools and communities.”
