"Civilization is not inherited: it has to be learned and earned by each generation anew; if the transmission should be interrupted by one century, civilization would die, and we should be savages again."

Will and Ariel Durant

"So many of the blessings and advantages we have, so many of the reasons why our civilization, our culture, has flourished aren't understood; they're not appreciated. And if you don't have any appreciation of what people went through to get, to achieve, to build what you are benefiting from, then these things don't mean very much to you. You just think, well, that's the way it is.  That's our birthright.  That just happened.  But it didn't just happen.... And at what price? What grief?  What disappointment? What suffering went on?"

David McCullough,
presidential biographer

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."

Aristotle

"Humanity has won its battle.  Liberty now has a country."

Marquis de Lafayette

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little."

Edmund Burke

"Studies perfect nature and are perfected still by experience."

Francis Bacon

"If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships--the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

"In our seeking for economic and political progress, we all go up--or else we all go down."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

"With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds."

Abraham Lincoln

Partnerships and Awards

The American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc. (AHEF) collaborates locally and nationally with educational communities and school districts, non-profit and professional organizations, government, businesses, churches, and workshops to facilitate its goal of promoting American Heritage education and understanding among students and citizens. AHEF collaborates in large part with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation.
 

AHEF Partnerships

Partners work with AHEF to support civic, history, government, and social studies education of America's heritage and promote the strengthening of America's civic ideas and ideals among students and citizens through publications, resources, programs, workshops, conferences, community service, and/or awareness events.

AfterSchool Conference Inc.
American Association of School Administrators
American Bar Association
American Christian Heritage Center
American Federation of Teachers
American Legion
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Arizona Science Center
Arkansas Education Alliance
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Association of American Educators
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
Campus Compact
Center for Character & Citizenship, Univ. of Missouri
Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning (CIRCLE)
Christian Educators Association International
Christian Homeschool Connection
TheChristianHome.net
Christian Law Association
Classroom Law Project
Clemson University, SC
Close-Up Foundation
Core Knowledge Foundation
Covenant Home School Resource Center
Creation Illustrated Magazine
Eastern Oregon University
Families United Network Academy
The Federalist Society
The Flag House & Star-Spangled Banner Museum
Freehomeschooling101.com
Gateway to Education Materials Exchange Project - Gateway to 21st Century Skills
Great Dane Pro Military
Greater St. Louis Area Home Educators Expo
Harris County Department of Education
Hartman Private Law / Legacy Liberty
Heart of Illinois Home School Convention
Home Education Network of Arizona
Home Educators Association of Virginia
Home Educators Resource Directory
The Homeschool Mom
Homeschool Phonebook
Homeschool Pocket Guide
Homeschool.com
Houston Baptist University
Houston Freedom Fest
Houston Independent School District
Idaho Department of Education
Institute on Religion and Public Life, First Things
Ivy Leaguers For Freedom
K12 Free Homeschool
Kentucky Department of Education
Learning Things Catalog
Liberty Counsel
The Link Homeschooling Network Newspaper
Long Island Council for the Social Studies
Michiana Christian Homeschool Convention
Montgomery (AL) Therapeutic Recreation Center
National 912 Project
National Alliance for Civic Education
National Catholic Educational Association
National Center for Constitutional Studies
National Council for the Social Studies
National Home Education Network
National Flag Foundation
National Middle School Association
National Rural Education Association
National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
New Hampshire Department of Education
New Yorkers Family Research Foundation
Ohio Department of Education
Oklahoma Department of Education
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Oregon Department of Education
Oregon Social Studies Teachers Update
Patriotic Education Inc.
St. Luke's United Methodist Church - Houston
Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club (TX)
Scholastic Magazine
South Dakota Council for the Social Studies
South Florida Homeschool Convention
Southwestern Indiana Homeschool Convention
Student Early Childhood Organization
Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook / Education Week
Teaching American History Program
Texas Council for the Social Studies
Texas Department of Education
Texas Education Agency
Texas Homeschool Coalition
Texas State Historical Association
USA Patriotism!
Utah Department of Education
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Windham Independent School District
York Home School Association Curriculum Fair

 

HISD and State of Texas Endorsements
American Heritage Month Proclamation
Sample HISD Admin
Sample HISD Teachers
Sample TEA
Sample Private Schools

SAR and National Endorsements
Sample SAR
Sample Schools
 

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
The Distinguished Patriot Award
Jack Kamrath, Co-founder and President of AHEF
2008 Recipient

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR) has honored Jack Kamrath, President and Co-Founder of AHEF, with the 2008 Distinguished Patriot Award to recognize the work of Kamrath and AHEF for promotion of good citizenship, learning, and training and service to the nation that is up and beyond the normal call of good citizenship. Those who have received this award from the Society include such notables as entertainer Bob Hope, General William Westmoreland, and President George Bush.
 

Houston Independent School District
American Heritage Citizenship Award
Theme: "We The People"
Jeannie Kamrath Gonzalez, Co-founder of AHEF
2004 Recipient

The 2004 recipient of HISD's American Heritage Citizenship Award was Jeannie Kamrath Gonzalez, co-founder of AHEF, for her initiative, innovation, involvement, and passion in support of HISD's American Heritage Month and the values and ideas it uplifts and upholds through education.
 

Printing and Imaging Association of Mid America and
the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast
Graphic Excellence Award of Merit
America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty
2002 Recipient

The America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty Binder Set in conjunction with HISD Printing Services received an award of merit for high-quality design and printing by the Printing and Imaging Association of Mid America and the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast at the 2002 Graphic Excellence Awards Competition .  The pieces entered represent the finest material produced by leading printers and designers in this part of the country.
 

American Heritage Month
HISD-AHEF Collaborative Project

In 1993, AHEF and HISD worked to establish American Heritage Month.  American Heritage Month supports the teaching and understanding of the facts, philosophy, and values which make up our nation's unique history and upon which are nation is founded and ever affected.  American Heritage Month is an opening point for teachers in emphasizing education and ideas through creative resources, lessons, projects, and activities for students that further the understanding of American heritage.  Many schools now recognize and celebrate our nation's heritage each November. Mayor Bill White has endorsed this annual event in the 2004 American Heritage Month Proclamation. For her initiative in the project, AHEF Co-founder Eugenie Kamrath Gonzalez was honored with HISD's inaugural American Heritage Month Exemplary Citizenship Award 2004 themed "We the People."

 
America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty
Collaborative Curriculum Project

HISD and AHEF, in conjunction with other community service groups including The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, have distributed over 60,000 copies of the collaborative curriculum, America's Heritage:  An Adventure in Liberty, to public, private, parochial, and home schools nationwide as well as to individuals, churches, workshops, and other organizations. The curriculum was developed and made possible by HISD, the McNair Foundation, the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and AHEF.

Response

"I am overwhelmed by the response." -SAR

"I attended the Society of 1812 Zachary Taylor Chapter.... One of the American history teachers...received some CD's....  He arranged for the lessons to be displayed on a large screen for the students.  At the chapter meeting, he stated with amazement that out of 500 students that took the TAKS test, only 4 failed.  Amazing statistics. Thanks for making this program available to us." -Teacher

"I was happy to be able to add this great resource to our curriculum library designed for our students studying to be educators." -Asst. Prof, Teacher Ed.

"We had our annual Congress in Pittsburgh...and distributed...CDS there. We ran out and they signed up for more." -SAR

"[A homeschooling newsletter] published a notice in its newsletter about the CD and we are overwhelmed with the responses."

"The lesson plans...are very attractive to homeschoolers.  ...They are able to adopt the lesson plans long before school districts...."

"I have previewed the CD, and I am VERY IMPRESSED! I know that the American History teachers we encounter will be impressed as well!" -State Regent

"My children enjoyed doing the projects which made our history lessons a little more concrete for them.  This was evidenced by their higher test scores in History." -Parent/Home Educator

"Thank you so much for making something like this available. I feel strongly about the importance of passing down an understanding of the blessings we have in this country as well as the struggles it took to get us there!" -Teacher

"I am VERY interested in receiving your CD!  We will begin our studies of American History, the Revolution years, in the fall. My children are VERY excited!" -Homeschooling Parent

"The CD you got for us is wonderful....  I have loved looking it over and the children will be using it over the next couple of years." -Teacher

"Thank you for making this available to the homeschool community!  We are a family of 9 and our 3 oldest are currently in college....  The next children are young men ages 16, 14, and 9. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to give the kids the truth about America and believe it is the only way we can preserve her future." -Homeschooling Parent

"Thank you for helping us educate our children on truth of our American history." -Homeschooling Parent

See K-12 Lessons for more responses on AHEF resources.

Now Playing: "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood  Song Information

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