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DISCOVERY EDUCATION, AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, AND NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER PARTNER TO CELEBRATE CONSTITUTION DAY WITH EXCLUSIVE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP FOR STUDENTS WORLDWIDE

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Christina Scripps, Discovery Education
240-662-6502, christina_scripps@discovery.com

–Hosted Live from National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, This Event Will Explore the History of the U.S. Constitution and Introduce Students to Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeal Judges– 

Silver Spring, Md. (September 9, 2015) – Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, the American Bar Association’s Division For Public Education, and the National Constitution Center today announced they will host a live, two-part interactive virtual field trip for students worldwide on September 17 to celebrate Constitution Day.  Through this partnership, classrooms around the world will meet a sitting Supreme Court Justice, be transported to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pa. to learn about the history of the U.S. Constitution, and discuss the Constitution’s enduring importance in American and world history with a Federal Appeals Court Judge. Appropriate for upper elementary, middle and high school students, participation in this virtual experience is available at no cost to classrooms worldwide.

Part one of this event is a student town hall with Justice Breyer, during which students will meet Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and learn about his work on the United States’ highest court. Students can submit questions to be answered by Justice Breyer at www.Constitutioncenter.org/constitutionday.  Then, attendees will virtually tour the National Constitution Center’s immersive Museum of We the People, visiting a recreation of the room in which the signers of the Constitution met on September 17, 1787, exploring exhibits focusing on the 13th Amendment, women’s rights, civil rights and more, and investigating the American National Tree, which features 100 citizens who have shaped America’s constitutional history.

The virtual field trip will conclude with an interview with Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, Federal Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and former First Lady of Pennsylvania. The co-founder of the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement, Judge Rendell has been active in promoting youth interest in government since she was the first lady in Pennsylvania. To register to attend one or both events, or to submit questions to be answered live by Judge Rendell during the broadcast, visit: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/ConstitutionDay.

“My class is excited to participate in Discovery Education’s Constitution Day virtual field trip,” said Kathryn Staton, teacher at Virginia’s Shenandoah County Public Schools. “This event will introduce my students to new people and places they might not otherwise see, and will engage them in important social studies topics in a new and memorable way.”

To further support participating educators, Discovery Education is also offering a collection of classroom activities related to Constitution Day, including comprehensive pre-and post-event lessons, which educators can utilize to enhance the learning experience and prepare students for the virtual event.

“A virtual field trip is an exciting way to promote civic education and to celebrate Constitution Day,” said Paulette Brown, president of the ABA. “We are pleased to join Discovery Education and the National Constitution Center in this innovative educational effort to help students gain a better understanding of the United States Constitution.”

Kerry Sautner, vice president of education at the National Constitution Center says, “The National Constitution Center is thrilled to open the museum doors to invite students around the world to take part in a learning experience that they may not have been able to experience in person. This Discovery Education opportunity to experience the museum’s constitutional content and to hear from Judge Rendell is a history lesson like no other.”

“Discovery Education is proud to collaborate with the American Bar Association and the National Constitution Center to present students worldwide this unique learning experience,” said Scott Kinney, senior vice president, Discovery Education. “Understanding the importance of the Constitution in our everyday lives is important to college, career, and citizenship readiness, and we thank our partners for their support in creating this exciting digital learning opportunity.” 

For more information about Discovery Education’s previous virtual field trips and other services and initiatives, visit www.discoveryeducation.com.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

About American Bar Association
With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. View our privacy statement online. Follow the latest ABA news at www.ambar.org/news and on Twitter @ABANews.

About National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia inspires active citizenship as the only place where people across America and around the world can come together to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its Congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a non-partisan basis.”  As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits.  As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a center for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire, excite, and engage citizens about the U.S. Constitution.  For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.