Name: George Washington: The Precedent President
Start: 2026-06-16T08:30:00-0400
End: 2026-06-16T15:00:00-0400
Location: George Washington's Mount Vernon

Examine the role of the first presidential cabinet in shaping policy and establishing the new government under the United States Constitution.

Throughout the day, educators will engage with classroom-ready lessons and resources from the George Washington Teacher Institute. Participants will also experience an inquiry from the Levin Center’s Learning by Hearings resources, designed to promote student engagement through structured investigation.

The program includes an interactive Be Washington theatre experience, offering participants the opportunity to step into the roles of Washington and his cabinet members to explore historical decision-making in action. The day will also feature a scholar talk by Dr. John Grynaviski, Associate Professor of Political Science at Wayne State University, providing additional historical and political context.

Schedule

	Welcome and Introductions
	Washington's Leadership & Legacy
	Mount Vernon - Teacher Lessons and Resources Sharing
	Scholar Conversation with Dr. Gyrnaviski
	Lunch Break
	Lessons By Hearings - Inquiry Lesson
	Be Washington Interactive Resource
	Classroom Application

Registration Requirements

Who can register?

Teachers MUST teach in a formal K-12 classroom or school setting.
The workshop is limited to 30 teachers.
A waitlist will be available if registration meets full capacity.

Questions? Please contact [email protected]

Meet the Speaker

Dr. Grynaviski

Professor Grynaviski is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Wayne State University. He received his undergraduate degrees in Government and Economics at the College of William & Mary and his doctorate in Political Science at Duke University. He is the author of Partisan Bonds: Political Reputations and Legislative Accountability and papers in top journals, including The American Political Science Review and The Journal of Politics. His research focuses on the connection between elections and the quality of governance, past and present. He is the recipient of the George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation Fellowship and the Baxter-Ward Fellowship for Distinguished Alumni at William and Mary.

Meet the Educators

Lauren Jaskinski

Lauren Jasinski is the Civic Education Manager at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. She is responsible for leading, building, and promoting the Center’s education efforts known as Learning by Hearings. These classroom resources and after-school enrichment provide robust, experiential education opportunities where students learn about history, government, and current events while developing their capacity for critical thinking and inquiry.

Lauren is a certified Secondary Social Studies Teacher and has ten years of classroom experience teaching US History, World History, US Civics, and AP Comparative Government and Politics. She has worked to develop curriculum at the local and county levels and is trained in the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) and implementation of the College, Career, and Civic (C3) Framework.

Mark Morrow

Mark Morrow is the Civic Education Specialist at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. He is responsible for researching and drafting the Center's lesson plans and classroom resources. He also leads and delivers most of the Center's professional development workshops for educators across the state of Michigan.

Mark is a certified Secondary History Teacher and has seven years of classroom experience teaching US History and World History. He has experience as a Michigan Youth in Government coach and works in the summers as a member of the Barbershop Quartet at Greenfield Village.

Ginnie Holloway

Ginnie Holloway is a social studies teacher at West Middle School in Rochester Hills, Michigan. She teaches eighth-grade U.S. History while also serving as a social studies curriculum specialist.

She is passionate about inquiry-based learning, elevating student voice, and fostering civil dialogue as students explore history through multiple perspectives. Ginnie is an alumni of the George Washington Teacher Institute and proudly serves on the National Constitution Center’s Teacher Advisory Board.