Are you an American middle or high school teacher who is:

  • Committed to educating young people about international peace and the resolution of violent conflicts?
  • Curious about the field of international peace and conflict resolution and how you might prepare your students to take the lead in this critical work?
  • Looking for a community of practice made up of educators and global peacebuilders in which to learn and grow?

The U.S. Institute of Peace's Peace Teachers program is a virtual professional development opportunity for middle and high school educators in the United States. The Peace Teachers program selects a cohort of dedicated teachers — one from each U.S. state and Washington, D.C. — to receive education, resources and support to strengthen their teaching of international conflict and the possibilities of peace. The 2024 Peace Teachers Program will run from July 2024 to January 2025.

USIP Peace Teacher

Bringing Global Peacebuilding into U.S. Secondary Schools 

USIP’s Peace Teachers program is rooted in the conviction that educators can be pivotal in bringing themes of global conflict and peace into their classrooms, schools and communities. At a time when violent international conflict regularly dominates headlines, teachers are the key to helping young people obtain the knowledge, skills and perspectives they need to envision their role in creating a more peaceful world and shape new ways to manage violent conflict. While educators often welcome this role, many face challenges — including a lack of information about how to teach peacebuilding or national security issues in an approachable format.

View the 2023 Peace Teachers  View Previous Peace Teachers  

The Program 

Through the Peace Teachers program, participants:

  • Develop a foundational understanding of the American approach to peace and the resolution of violent conflicts in countries around the world.
  • Discover new ways to teach about global conflict and peace in their subject areas and receive resources to integrate these concepts and practical peacebuilding skills into their classrooms.
  • Build connections with like-minded educators and USIP experts.
  • Serve as ambassadors for teaching about global conflict and peace in their schools and communities.

During the program, participants:

  • Complete USIP’s self-paced, online “Introduction to Peacebuilding” course.
  • Attend a virtual summer introductory workshop.
  • Lead their school’s participation in marking the International Day of Peace on September 21.
  • Design and implement an action plan for incorporating relevant USIP resources into one class.
  • Participate in monthly one-hour virtual meetings with their Peace Teachers cohort and USIP staff.
  • Evaluate and share their experience and the program’s impact.
  • Receive over 21 professional development credit hours.

Resources for the Classroom

The following packets of resources were created by USIP Peace Teachers as part of their program. The content was the teachers’ own work and as such, is not intended to reflect the views or work of the U.S. Institute of Peace. We encourage other educators to adapt these resources for their own classroom use.


At a time when violent conflict regularly dominates headlines, teachers are the key to helping young people obtain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to understand how peace is possible—and to envision their own role in creating a more peaceful world.

The following ideas are drawn from lessons or activities created by past USIP Peace Teachers using USIP’s resources for students and educators

News about the Peace Teachers

For more information about the 2024 Peace Teachers Program, contact us at publiceducation@usip.org

Learn more about USIP’s resources for students and educators.

2023 Peace Teachers

David Angwenyi, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington, NJ

David Angwenyi

Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington, NJ

Therese Bower, St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, OH

Therese Bower

St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, OH

Elizabeth (Liz) Fucella Burgos, Washington Liberty High School, Arlington, VA

Elizabeth (Liz) Fucella Burgos

Washington Liberty High School, Arlington, VA

Seth Brady

Seth Brady

Naperville Central High School, Naperville, IL

Sammie Cervantez

Sammie Cervantez

Nipomo High School, Nipomo, CA

George Dalbo

George Dalbo

Clinton Junior-Senior High School, Clinton, WI

Susan Dilworth

Susan Dilworth

Thomas McKean High School, Wilmington, DE

Keisha Duncan

Keisha Duncan

Bronx Alliance Middle School, Bronx, NY

Delia Dunlap

Delia Dunlap

Silver Spring International Middle School, Silver Spring, MD

Kristen Embry

Kristen Embry

Decatur High School Decatur, GA

Jacob Goodwin

Exeter Cooperative Middle School, Stratham, NH

Brittany Hamner

Brittany Hamner

Woodlawn High School, Birmingham, AL

Turtle Haste

Turtle Haste

Desert Ridge Middle School, Albuquerque, NM

Adam Leff

Gould Academy, Bethel, ME

Alissa McElreath

Alissa McElreath

Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School, Raleigh, NC

Jacquelyn R. Moorman

Jacquelyn R. Moorman

Maquoketa Valley Middle School, Delhi, IA

Josh Hernandez Morse

Josh Hernandez Morse

Pacific Buddhist Academy, Honolulu, HI

Karen O’Connor-Floman

Karen O’Connor-Floman

Sheridan School, Washington, DC

Michelle Raszl

Michelle Raszl

Mt. Everett Regional School, Sheffield, MA

Sarah Smith

Sarah Smith

Sabino High School, Tucson, AZ

Amy Palo

Amy Palo

Cornell High School, Coraopolis, PA

Melody Townsel

Melody Townsel

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Dallas, TX