Heritage Grove teacher chosen for South Africa Fulbright program

Amber Bechard, an eighth grade language arts teacher at Heritage Grove Middle School, has been selected as a participant in the 2006 Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad. Bechard will visit South Africa for a month, participating in a seminar titled “Understanding South Africa through Reconciliation, Segregation, and Creolization.”

Bechard will leave on June 29 and spend a month exploring the culture and history of South Africa. She is one of just 12 middle and secondary teachers selected for the program through Illinois State University. This Fulbright program will provide an introduction to the historical geography of South Africa from the past to the present through lectures, fieldtrips, and museum visits.

Participating in the program is expected to strengthen the teachers’ geographical and historical content knowledge of South Africa, help them develop comparative South Africa-United States curricular units, and expand their knowledge base of multicultural and diversity issues which can be implemented into their existing curricula.

Upon her return, Bechard and her group will develop a presentation for inclusion at either the National Council for the Social Studies or National Council for Geographic Education.

Heritage Grove, one of five middle schools in Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, is located at 12450 S. Van Dyke Road in Plainfield.

For more information, contact Bechard