Matthew R. Willis

Helping students prepare for the academic rigors of college is what the "Rangeview History Day" project is all about. Willis modeled his Rangeview High School history project after the National History Day program that helps teachers meet educational standards, disseminates high-quality curriculum materials and sponsors challenging contests that teach students the critical skills they need to be effective citizens in the 21st century. Current research on "best practices" in social studies classrooms specifies that students gain more knowledge through "doing" history. This project will provide more than 250 tenth and eleventh-grade students with a curriculum whose objectives are to 1) increase CSAP and ACT scores in reading and writing, 2) provide an opportunity for students to conduct college level research, 3) provide an authentic means of assessment and 4) find opportunities for students to attend college without the need for remediation. The monies awarded by ING will go toward assisting students with research opportunities, travel materials and computers. Willis resides in Aurora.