EAST PROVIDENCE — City native and just elected Secretary of State Gregg Amore returned to a familiar place Monday morning, March 6, to announce a signature initiative of his first term in office.

At East Providence High School, where he was a Social Studies/History teacher for nearly three decades, Amore announced the creation of the Department of State’s Civic Teacher of the Year award.

The award "will honor one outstanding teacher “who has demonstrated a commitment to and expertise in teaching civics or American government, with special consideration given to teachers who employ innovative teaching practices and experiential learning opportunities for their students.”

Nominations can be made by a current student, teaching colleague, or administrator. Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 7 online at www.sos.ri.gov/teacheraward. To be eligible, nominees must be current, full-time teachers of civics or American government in grades 8–12. For more information about the award and full eligibility details, visit www.sos.ri.gov/teacheraward. 

“As a former history and civics teacher myself, I know how critically important it is to educate our students on both our history and how to participate in our democracy,” said Amore. “I am excited to honor the outstanding professionals who do this work and to hear from their students and colleagues about their successes.”  

Monday’s announcement and where it took place also afforded the new Secretary of State a chance to return to the classroom to talk to current students about one of the core issues of his campaign last year and another his first term aims: election security and authenticity.

Amore taught a lesson on Civics, which along with the creation of the award coincides with the start of Rhode Island Civic Learning Week in schools around the state. His tutorial included a review of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which essentially codified anti-discriminatory practices in the country. From an election perspective, it set the stage for the passage of The Voting Rights Act of 1965 following year, which outlawed racial discrimination in voting.

Monday’s kick-off event is the first of a series of visits Amore will make to local high schools to discuss voting rights and voter suppression during the school year.

Of his lecture, Amore said, “We are talking about the power of the right to vote in the United States, the history of voting rights in the country and voter suppression efforts throughout our nation’s history.”

In addition, the secretary said his office is attempting to encourage students to serve as liaisons for his department to assist in establishing Civics engagement programs amongst their peers in schools and their communities at large.