NNPS to hold first Social Studies Symposium on April 18
Posted: March 20, 2026
Newport News Public Schools Department of Teaching & Learning PK-12 Social Studies will host its first annual Social Studies Symposium on April 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Gildersleeve Middle School.
This year's event is themed America at 250: What Stories Can We Tell? It will focus on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States that is being celebrated in 2026 and the many layers of stories that have unfolded within that history.
"We're going to be telling the various stories of the United States over the last 250 years," said Jessica Mitchell, instructional supervisor for Secondary Social Studies. "We're very fortunate to have so much rich history right around us here in Hampton Roads. Representatives from various organizations and museums can provide many different lenses on a host of topics."
The event is free, open to the public, and will have diverse activities for every age group of students, families and community members.
"We're very excited to be putting together an event that has something for every student in all levels from prekindergarten through twelfth grade," said Joe Tobin, instructional supervisor for Elementary Social Studies. "There is definitely something for everyone."
The symposium's three main components are a series of brief lectures by historians, an exhibit hall featuring local museums, and a student art contest on display. Interactive exhibits, artifacts, games and trivia will be offered.
"The short, scholarly talks are for students to see how this works in real life," Mitchell said. "There are many different ways that people talk about history. So we want to show that the details in the stories make both the people and historical events come to life."
