Mentors

Valerie is a National Board Certified social studies educator focused on middle and high school civics and government. Valerie has taught in the Baltimore City Public School system, worked as a disciplinary literacy specialist at MSDE, and taught English overseas. She currently teaches high school social studies at Baltimore School for the Arts. She has mentored with the Center for Civic Education since 2006, primarily with Project Citizen and the James Madison Legacy Project.

Amy Rosenkrans is a lifelong resident of Havre de Grace, MD. She received her PhD from Notre Dame of Maryland University. In 2017, she was awarded the Joseph L. Arnold Prize for Outstanding Writing on Baltimore History by the Baltimore City Historical Society.

Dr. Rosenkrans is currently sharing her passion for history with middle school students and social studies teachers in Baltimore City. She is also a MCCHE mentor teacher for the Center for Civic Education’s JMLPE and CEAS projects.

In her spare time, she is on the Harford County Lafayette Bicentennial Committee and preparing for Lafayette’s return visit in July 2025. Additionally, she is the Secretary of the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center where she was one of the researchers on the Maryland Woman Suffragists Project and the lead researcher on the “Memories of the Baltimore Woman’s Industrial Exchange” project.

Ryan is a middle school social teacher with 16 years experience. He has participated as a mentor teacher for since 2022. Partnering with the Center for Civic Education in 2024, Ryan served as a pilot teacher for the Inquiry Companion We the People model lessons providing feedback on inquiry-based civic education. He is currently piloting the Elevating Unheard Perspectives modules exploring civil discourse practices for middle school students. Ryan’s work continues to contribute to research and development of civic education best practices.

Samantha is a National Board Certified social studies teacher. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and French and Master’s of Education from the University of Maryland. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Mind, Brain, and Teaching from Johns Hopkins University. Samantha is a doctoral student in Indiana University’s Literacy, Culture, and Language program.

Christian Pensiero is an experienced 5th-grade teacher in Howard County. She has been a leader in the We the People curricular program for over 15 years. Christian has served as a mentor for MCCHE since 2023 delivering professional learning to elementary and middle school educators. As the 2024 American Civics Educator Award recipient, she specializes in fostering civic engagement, critical thinking, and mentoring fellow educators.

Taylor has been with the District of Columbia Public Schools for 10 years. Her careerr has focused primarily on 4th and 5th grade students. She currently serves an Instructional Coach.Taylor has been a mentor with MCCHE since 2021 helping teachers across the District implement strong social studies instruction utilizing the We The People curriculum. Taylor believes all students deserve access to a quality teacher and she enjoys her role in assisting elementary school teachers.

As a teacher of AP Government and Honors NSL Government, Reyna guides her students in developing critical thinking skills, constructing evidence-based arguments, and engaging in active listening and respectful discussions. She incorporate real-world political scenarios to demonstrate the practical application of government concepts and helps students analyze the societal impact of policies and decisions. Through involvement in Project Citizen as both a participant and mentor, as well as mentoring in JMLPE, Reyna provides hands-on experiences that empower students to apply civic education and policymaking to address issues within their school community.

Carol Carter is a dedicated professional with 12 years of experience in Prince George’s County Public Schools teaching 7th and 8th graders. She has been honored as the Prince George’s County History Day Teacher of the Year in 2021 and 2024, and was a recipient of the Gifted and Talented Education Award 2023. She began her We the People experience as a participant in our JMLPE program in 2023 and now serves as a mentor educator to elementary and middle school teachers in our Civics that Empowers All Students project.