The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation (CMOHF) has undertaken a broad range of education Initiatives aimed at increasing awareness of the Medal of Honor and what it represents. The Medal of Honor has a powerful history. Most Recipients are ordinary Americans who have performed incredible acts of valor under extraordinary circumstances, and at the risk of their own lives. Only 77 individuals are living to tell their tale of bravery, courage and good citizenship, and to use their words to inspire a new generation of heroes.

One of the major initiatives of the CMOHF is the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, a free teacher resource for middle and high school students. The program provides more than 50 lesson plans, over 100 video vignettes of the Medal of Honor Recipients themselves, as well as videos of hometown heroes selected by the Medal of Honor Recipients as “Citizen Heroes.”

edWeb.net and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation have created an online professional learning community that will help teachers use this free, valuable and inspiring resource with their students. The community is free and will host webinars and online discussions on the important concepts of courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity and citizenship. The webinars will provide an opportunity for Medal of Honor Recipients to discuss the importance of character and speak directly with teachers and students on their experiences. The webinars will be facilitated by an educator from the Medal of Honor Foundation and will include demonstrations on how to use the curriculum in the classroom.

The community provides a forum for collaboration and discussion with experts and peers about why character is important for us all-but especially for today’s students who are tomorrow’s leaders. Character is best taught by example…and there are no greater examples than our nation’s true heroes.

Brian Williams, Anchor and Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, is a leading advocate for the Medal of Honor Character Development Program. He says, “I wish these [Medal of Honor recipients] were the stars of baseball cards in this country… I wish kids grew up knowing these Recipients’ stats. We’re trying to spread the word about what kind of citizens these are; we’re trying to spread the word that these qualities will help you in many ways. So we had this theory… that you could use these Recipients as a teaching tool.”

Lisa Schmucki, the founder and CEO of edWeb.net, commented, “This is a very special honor to host an online community where Recipients of the Medal of Honor can speak directly to teachers and students about their experiences and the values of bravery, commitment, and self-sacrifice. We are thrilled to provide a way for more teachers to learn about this program.”

If you are an educator, join the free learning community, Lessons on Bravery and Self-Sacrifice: The Medal of Honor Character Development Program, to stay informed about upcoming webinars, join in on discussions with peers and experts, and gain access to valuable resources.