The K-12 outreach program of the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies is dedicated to providing primary and secondary school teachers and students in the Pittsburgh region and beyond with resources to promote understanding of the cultures, languages, histories, politics and societies of the nations of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, through school visits, the Pitt Model United Nations program, resource collections, and professional development seminars for teachers. Thanks to the support of a Title VI National Resource Center grant from the US Department of Education, most REEES outreach services are offered free of charge to the schools.
REEES provides outreach programs to K-12 schools in the following formats:
School Visits Program
This program gives Pittsburgh-area teachers the opportunity to enhance students’ educational experiences and enrich the curriculum by bringing experts on, and visitors from, the REEES region to speak at the schools. School visitors may speak on a wide variety of topics related to Eastern Europe, Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, including language, culture, history, current issues and the arts. Lessons on the Russian alphabet and basic phrases, Ukrainian egg decorating, etc. are available. Faculty at colleges in the Pittsburgh region also may request speakers. Visits are free of charge to the schools, although REEES requests at least three weeks’ advance notice. To schedule a school visit for your classroom, please contact REEES.
- Baltics
- Bosnia
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Macedonia
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Turkey
Professional Development Workshops for Teachers
REEES cooperates with the African, Asian, European, Global, International Business, and Latin American Studies programs at the University of Pittsburgh to organize annual professional development workshops for K-12 teachers on various aspects of international studies. With generous support from the Longview Foundation for Education in World Affairs and International Understanding, our Centers recently partnered with Pitt’s College in High School Program to pilot a program that would enhance the globalization of college-credit-bearing courses taught in high schools. The Summer Institute for Pennsylvania Teachers will continue in 2021. Contact REEES for more information.
Annual Student Events
REEES cooperates with the University of Pittsburgh’s other international studies programs and local community organizations to offer annual events on campus for secondary school students, including Pitt Model United Nations and programs providing informational resources to high school students on international studies and career opportunities. Please contact REEES for information on upcoming teachers' workshops and student events.