Founding Forward is preparing for a busy Spring doing what we do best: bringing our country’s next generation of leaders together to learn, explore, and embrace the principles of democratic self-government and the founding of the United States.
Founding Forward, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity, is the result of a merger of The Union League Legacy Foundation and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. These two organizations, founded in 1947 and 1949 respectively, united based on their long-standing partnership and shared values. Together as Founding Forward, they combine their greatest assets and strengths to become the leading voice and institution in civic education.
Read below to learn more about recent and upcoming events, programs, and opportunities.
Please note: While we still work to fully realize the merger and operate as our new organization, Founding Forward, we are working on building out a new website. In the interim, please know that you may still see links to our ‘legacy’ websites. This information is still accurate and up to date.
Don’t miss an email!
Don’t miss out on our news, events, or announcements. Beginning April 1, we will use the Founding Forward email address since The Union League Legacy Foundation and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge has become Founding Forward.
Please add the @foundingforward.org domain to your email address book so your email app knows to recognize us.
Instructions: If you’re on a computer, hover your cursor over the sender’s name and the contact card will pop up. If you’re using a phone or tablet, tap their profile picture. Click or tap Add to Contacts.
Scenes From Good Citizen Day
Good Citizen Day 2024 was a huge success. It is a fun, fast-paced, all-day, immersive civic education program that allows 11th-grade students to engage in civil discourse while discussing the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. This year, students also had the opportunity to visit the National Constitution Center where they attended a lecture and explored civics in action through interactive exhibits. The day culminated in a celebratory awards banquet, where the nearly 240 students were presented with their Good Citizenship Award – a 3-part award of a certificate, personalized medal, and a cash prize. These students were nominated to participate in the program from existing partner organizations. Every student candidate demonstrates hard work and fair play, has personal attributes of honesty, courage, tolerance, curiosity, and loyalty, and endeavors to follow and uphold the principles of American patriotism.
Thank you to our donors for making powerful experiences like this possible, and congratulations to this year’s Good Citizenship Award recipients!
SEE MORE GOOD CITIZEN DAY PHOTOS HERE!
Apply now for our 2024 Summer Teacher Seminars and Travel Workshops!
Join the over 14,000 educators who have enriched their knowledge and their classrooms through our critically acclaimed and accredited summer teacher seminars and traveling workshops. For over 50 years, teachers like you have connected with our course content taught by extraordinary scholars and thinkers.
While we have 7 of these programs this summer, 5 are already filled! There is limited availability for two of our upcoming teacher seminars:
- June 23 – 28: Reconstruction: Battle for Civil Rights
- July 28 – August 2: Medal of Honor Legacy: World War I
Speak Program Spotlight
Library Hour I The Enlightenment and the American Revolution with William B. Allen I Monday, May 6, 6:30p.m.
Join Dr. William B. Allen – author, scholar, and political theorist – discussing Enlightenment giant Montesquieu and his most important work, The Spirit of the Laws.
This work helped shape modern constitutional democracies, being one of the most important influences on the Founding Fathers.
At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Montesquieu’s ideas, like the separation of powers or checks and balances, would profoundly influence the debate at Independence Hall. The recently opened Royal Archives in London confirm that George III, before he ascended to the crown, translated Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws. Was the tyrant targeted by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence a liberal reformer? Dr. Allen will reflect on the implications of King George’s translation for the Revolution, comparing it with his own newly published translation. Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws, A Critical Edition – translation and commentary by Dr. William Allen will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
Programs can be viewed live on our YouTube and remain available after the program. To watch the program live, please click the link below.
Click here to visit our YouTube Channel
The program will be available at Monday, May 6, 6:30p.m. EST and after.
Also in May:
Public Affairs I The Canceling of the American Mind with Greg Lukianoff
Thursday, May 30, 2024, 6:30p.m.
Inspire Tomorrow’s Leaders
The work of Founding Forward, including Good Citizen Day, teacher education programs, speaker programs, and more is only possible through voluntary contributions.
Today, we have no greater responsibility to our nation than to support this important work.
By making a gift today through our Online Donation Form you will help us build a more perfect union, expand our programming, and educate tomorrow’s leaders.