In preparation of Italian and Hispanic American Heritage Months in October, would you like educators in your school district to receive a new, innovative tool to stimulate critical and analytical thinking about complex issues in society?

If so, the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) is pleased to offer its “An Italian’s Dream: Leads to the Origin of the Hispanic Peoples and Beyond” video series. The focus is on immigration from the 15th century Age of Exploration and Discovery, to the present.

This unique curriculum infusion model provides an equitable, diverse, and inclusive approach to teaching/learning about the four voyages of Christopher Columbus, his encounter with the New World, subsequent colonization with the Indigenous people, thus leading to the creation of the Hispanic people, and current immigration issues. The carefully researched material presents information regarding these world-changing events—both good and bad and allows students to arrive at their own conclusions.

The video series was developed by the NJIHC Curriculum Development Committee, at the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), meeting all its standards, with Kevin T. Brady, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Hibernian Global Education Initiative, Inc. The series is a component of “The Universality of Italian Heritage” curriculum. “An Italian’s Dream” is available FREE of Charge, by clicking on this link: www.njitalianheritage.org.

We respectfully request that you share this letter with your local school superintendents urging them to direct it to their Supervisors of Curriculum and Instruction, and their local School Board Presidents, on or before September 30, 2023.

Teachers will be able to enhance their instruction throughout the school year with the use of the video above. They also have an opportunity to share their outcomes by presenting them as “Best Practices” at the NJIHC spring Conference 2024.

For questions or comments regarding the video, please contact Curriculum Committee Chairperson, Cav. Gilda Rorro Ed.D. at: 609.587.7000, or NJIHC Chairperson Robert DiBiase, at: 732.547.8799. Your attention to this request would be greatly appreciated.