On June 12 and 13, 2025, the Symposium for Civic and History Education hosted the third annual Conference for Idaho Social Studies Teachers. The group is led by Boise State faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences (John Bieter and Lisa Brady, Department of History) and School of Public Service (Stewart Gardner, a clinical assistant professor of olitical science) in collaboration with representatives from the Idaho State Department of Education (Leslie Younger) and the Boise community (Russ Heller). Adrien Bassett, a student majoring in history, secondary education, also assisted with the conference.
The conference included session presentations from several Boise State faculty (John Bieter, Lisa Brady, Stewart Gardner, Erik Hadley, Raymond Krohn, Shaun Nichols and David Walker) and from teachers and educators across the state. The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and the Idaho State Museum also hosted sessions. Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane and Honors College Dean Andrew Finstuen gave remarks at the opening reception.
Over 100 educators registered for the conference, including exhibitors such as Attorneys for Civic Education, CapEd Credit Union, Gibbs Smith Publishers, the High School Law Review, Idaho Public Television, the Institute for Curriculum Services and the Story of America. The conference was generously sponsored by a grant from the Institute for Advancing American Values America 250 program, the State Department of Education, Cap Ed Credit Union and Boise State’s Concurrent Enrollment program.