2022 Excellence in DEI Awards
The 2022 Kaur Foundation Excellence in DEI Awards were presented at a special reception at the 102nd Annual Conference of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Beginning in 2023, the awards will be co-sponsored by NCSS and Kaur Foundation.
CULTURAL LITERACY AWARD
Dr. Darrin Reynolds, Principal, East Elementary School, Sharon, MA
Darrin Reynolds is the principal of the East Elementary School in Sharon, Massachusetts. In addition to being a school principal, he has been an assistant principal, special education teacher, and instructional assistant during his 24-year career in education. He has taught masters level courses at Lesley University. He served as an Inclusive Practice Ambassador for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He earned a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from NOVA Southeastern University, focusing his dissertation research on the impact of meditation for educators. He is blessed to have an amazing wife and three wonderful children. He enjoys running, yoga, and morning walks with his dog named Ruby.
RELIGIOUS LITERACY AWARD
Seth Brady, Teacher, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, IL & Project Director, Illinois Global Scholar
Seth Brady has taught World Religions at Naperville Central High School for the past 18 years. During his tenure as many as 240 students took this course in a single year. In addition to receiving instruction in five religious traditions students in the course are required to independently visit two houses of worship, observe a worship service at each, and conduct interviews with laypeople and members of the clergy. His experience teaching this course, led him to develop Religious Literacy of Educators, a week-long professional development course for K-12 educators, school support staff, and administrators funded by a U.S. Department of Education Teach to Lead Grant. During this course, students engage with religious texts, hear from religious scholars and practitioners, and participate in site visits in six religions. In addition to these experience, Seth has been a strong advocate for religious literacy education. Along with Ben Marcus and John Camardella, Seth led a campaign to develop the Religious Studies Supplement to the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards. Seth also co-chairs the NCSS Religious Studies Community, has presented and guided tours at NCSS conferences, and co-authored the NCSS Position Statement on Religion with Melissa Fainman and David Callaway. Seth has twice served as a member of the Illinois social science standards writing committee. In 2022, he rallied religious communities across Illinois to file public comments in favor of adopting the religious studies standards for all high school students. These collective efforts, driven by Seth’s advocacy have resulted in Illinois becoming the first state to included religious studies in its standards. Seth is also project director and co-founder of Illinois Global Scholar, a state-level global education certification program for high school students.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AWARD
Ebony Langford-Brown, Executive Director School Improvement & Curricular Programs
Ebony Langford-Brown is the executive director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS). In her current role, she provides supervision and oversight for the development and implementation of Pre-K – 12 curriculum. She oversees professional learning for central-office curriculum staff in evaluating, creating, and curating diverse curriculum materials for staff and students. She also leads professional learning for school-based administrators on supporting implementation of diversity and inclusion in daily instruction. Her former positions include administrative director of elementary schools at HCPSS and director of instruction and achievement, school principal, school assistant principal and elementary teacher at Montgomery County Public Schools. Ebony holds a B.S. in elementary education from the University of Maryland – College Park and an M.A. in sociology and education from the Teacher’s College at Columbia University.
Renee Bos, Curriculum Coordinator Secondary Social Studies
Renee Bos has been lucky enough to experience an incredibly diverse career in education. She has taught middle and high school social studies in private and public schools, in comprehensive and alternative schools, and she has even taught pre-service teachers in public and private universities. Through her work in the social studies' curricular office, she has encountered enormous challenges, but also a place of deep impact and meaning. Her overarching passion as a curriculum supervisor has been to diversify curricula to tell a more complete and accurate history and to create a safer space for students to see themselves and the experiences of people like them throughout history and in society. Understanding and appreciating diversity is a foundational imperative for citizens of a democracy and a global society. Among other initiatives, including a full culturally responsive audit of the core curricula, she has worked with Kaur Foundation to review instructional resources and provide professional development opportunities to improve teachers’ understanding and pedagogical practices for teaching about Sikhism and to combat bias and discrimination. While this work is progressing, it is also imperative to remember it is constantly ongoing as well.
Kimberly Eggborn, Curriculum Coordinator Elementary Social Studies
Kim Eggborn is the Coordinator of Elementary Social Studies for the Howard County Public School System. She began her career as a 5th grade elementary school teacher and has since grown to become involved both nationally and internationally with teachers regarding civics education. Kim has served on the standing committee for the National Assessment of Education Progress for the Elementary Civics NAEP assessment, taught as an adjunct professor, and served as a member of the SSACI Teacher Collaborative Council to review and provide feedback on the national College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards. She is also the past president of the MD Council for Social Studies and is currently on the board for the NSSSA (National Social Studies Supervisors Association). In all these capacities, Kim has lifted up the need to represent all students in the teaching of social studies. This has been accomplished through offering targeted professional development, highlighting resources such as “The Cultural Safari” about the Sikh population and using diverse texts throughout the curriculum. Her current hobbies include obtaining a PhD, working to advance the interests of Asian American/Pacific Islanders in Howard County, and serving as a co-president of her children’s PTA.
“As our communities grow ever more diverse, understanding the different backgrounds of our students, colleagues, neighbors and friends is vital. We welcome our partnership with NCSS, to integrate diverse voices - inclusive of Sikhs, and provide opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills critical to live and work in a culturally and religiously democratic society, valuing inclusion of all.”
Awards Ceremony at the 102nd Annual Conference of the National Council for the Social Studies
