"Instead of (and in contrast to) a strictly democratic system of government, ours’ is defined by the protection of individual rights. People have not flocked to this country for hundreds of years to participate in democratic elections. There are many places where they can do that, often in a purer democratic form. Instead, they are attracted to America because our individual rights are protected by our political, legal and social institutions." -- Fred Fransen, CEO, Certell

U.S. high school students now have the opportunity to compete against students from nearly two-dozen countries in the International Economics Olympiad....

In his inaugural address on Jan. 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy called on his fellow Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Kennedy’s words embraced America’s better angels: the philanthropic spirit we celebrate Nov. 15, National Philanthropy Day. They were a far cry from what we heard in the recent presidential campaign in which both candidates sought support by offering voters “free” giveaways.

The word philanthropist literally means “lover of humanity.”

Near Atlanta, on a spring day in 1990, I was outside, underneath a large tent with dozens of others seated at tables, each facing a telephone.

I was 6 years old when the call connected to a boy on the other end of the phone, who sounded like he was my age.

I had no other concept of who he was. I wasn’t sure what to ask him, but knew something important was happening because my parents were very excited.

Indianapolis, IN – Certell, a leader in digital education solutions, is proud to announce that Richard N. Lorenc has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer, effective October 1, 2024. Lorenc brings with him a wealth of experience in growth leadership and education, aligning perfectly with Certell’s mission of making world-class digital curricula in social studies available to teachers at no charge.

Get ready for a captivating journey through American ideals with our latest blog post penned by Fred Fransen. This insightful commentary, syndicated across multiple news outlets, delves into the intriguing concept of why “America Doesn’t Have Royalty Because That Would Be Un-American.” Explore the profound implications of this uniquely American perspective. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking read!

Equality Matters and in the continuing series, Fred Fransen delves into the importance of equality in today’s society. We must understand the significance of embracing equality in all its forms. Don’t miss out on this enlightening read!

The DC Journal has launched a new monthly syndicated opinion series to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The series is titled The Experiment Continues; 250 Years of America’s Story and features our founder and CEO Fred Fransen. The purpose of the series is to reintroduce and reflect on the grounding principles of this country. What does it mean to be an American? Is it good or bad? Admirable…

Certell, Inc., a nonprofit online curriculum developer, announced that the number of teachers and students registered to use its freePoptential™ social studies curriculum packages exceeded 100,000 in 2022 as teachers forgo printed textbooks for more current and interactive online tools. Nearly 1 million interactions were recorded on the Poptential platform in the fall 2022 semester. 

Poptential’s social studies course packages are designed …..

The goal of this Gallup report is to better understand student and educator perceptions and usage of education technology in schools. In this report, digital learning tools are defined as websites, apps, online tutorials, online games and videos or programs used to teach and support student learning and schoolwork. Key Findings Access and Availability In and Out of School Digital learning tools are integral to teaching and learning in and out of…

Storytelling can be an effective way for teachers to make topics like inflation relevant to students.

Inflation hit a four-decade high in the United States during September, with the consumer price index up 8.2 percent from a year earlier. While most adults are painfully aware of higher prices for everything from food to fuel, teens may be blissfully ignorant…..

Monica Burns from the EdTech blog ClassTechTips brings teaching strategies, tips and activity ideas for the classroom to her Easy EdTech Podcast. In this episode, Fred Fransen, CEO of Certell, joined to discuss how to support teachers with classroom management, engagement, and actionable data collection. You’ll hear how the Poptential curriculum has formative assessment seamlessly integrated and allows students to self-assess in real time!

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Poptential™, a family of award-winning social studies course packages that infuse lessons with digital storytelling, offers an array of engaging content to illustrate the culture, traditions, and history of Native Americans for National American Indian Heritage Month….