Savini, Maria

A bit about me...

-My parents were born in Italy and I speak fluent Italian. 

-I have no children; however, I am thrilled to be an aunt! My brother Franco and his wife, Yvonne, have four children named Julian, Giada, Guinevere and Kailey.  I adopted two kitties named Milo and Finn who enjoy chasing bird toys and waking me up each morning at 4:30 am so they can eat. 

-I enjoy drawing/painting with watercolors, collecting Early American antiques, period decor, reading and traveling to historic destinations/art museums.

-I am a lifelong learner, always on the lookout for new learning opportunities! I have been selected to participate in a number of competitive professional development programs over the years:

-2023, I was asked to serve as an ambassador for the New York Historical Society's Women & the American Story (Wams) digital resource curriculum.

Chilling with Susan B. Anthony while sporting some WAMS swag...

I was selected to participate in the National Endowment of the Humanities, The Salem Witch Trials: Their World and Legacy Teacher Institute at Endicott College in Massachusetts. This three-week endeavor enabled participants to delve deeper into this tragic episode in American History.  We explored the trials from a variety of perspectives and considered parallels between moments in 20th century American History that were marked by fear of enemies, both real and imagined.  We had a rare opportunity to work with the original trial transcripts and other primary source materials.  We also visited historical sites and memorials relating to the trials in Salem and Danvers.

Agatha, my little witch doll, accompanied me to the Rebecca Nurse House in Danvers and other Salem excursions.  In the 2nd photo, my partner and I are holding the "Examination of Sarah Good, Sarah Osborn & Tituba, as Recorded by Exekiel Cheever." These three women were the first to be accused of witchcraft.  The testimony would later be utilized during the special court of Oyer & Terminor.

-2022, Albert H. Small Normancy Institute Head Teacher.  In my final year in my capacity as head teacher (a two-year stint), my student Audrey McCollum and I researched the life of PFC Harry M. Thoraldson of Bridgeport, PA who lost his life during the D-Day Campaign.  Audrey presented her briefing topic and delivered her eulogy for her soldier at his grave in Normandy, France.  I was subsequently awarded the Albert H. Small Normandy Institute Award at the culmination of the experience.

Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France with my student, Audrey McCollum.

-2021, Albert H. Small Normandy Institute Head Teacher.  We spent a week studying World War II at George Washington University and visited the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA (Covid restrictions did not allow us to travel to France).  We researched the life of 1LT Robert F. Coffey of Landsdale, PA.

-2020, HistoryQuest Fellowship for Teachers.  The program usually takes place on the Princeton Campus, but this year, we participated virtually.  This in-service focused upon integrating games into the History Classroom.

-2019, Albert H. Small Normandy Institute.  Had the opportunity to research the life of a local soldier who lost his life during the D-Day invasion with my student, Noor Bukhani.  We spent a week at George Washington University learning about Operation Overlord with other teacher/student teams from around the country.  Afterwards, we embarked upon our trip to Normandy, France.  There, we were able to visit the sites associated with the D-Day campaign. The experience culminated with Noor eulogizing PFC Frank P. Labella (from Norristown, PA) at the American Cemetery in Normandy.  A moving and life-changing experience to say the least.

-2018, George Washington Teacher Institute Summer Residential Program, "Leadership and Legacy: Lessons From George Washington."  (Mt. Vernon)

-2017, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Kennedy Presidency" (Boston University).

-2017, Scholarship to attend the Colonial Williamsburg Institute for High School Teachers (Williamsburg, VA).

-2016, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Demon Times: Temperance, Immigration and  Prohibition" (Columbus, OH).

-2015, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Story of World War II" (The National WWII Museum in New Orleans).

-2014, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "America's Industrial Revolution at the Henry Ford" (The Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan).

-2014, Scholarship to attend "The Medal of Honor Legacy at the Freedom's Foundation" (Valley Forge). In 2014, I received The Sons of the American Revolution Teaching Excellence Award.

-2013, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Living on the Edge  of Empire: Alliance, Conflict and Captivity in Colonial New England" (Historic Deerfield, Massachusetts).

-2012, Gilder Lehrman/National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Empire City: New York from 1877-Present" (Columbia University, NY).

-2011, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Abolitionism, Women's Rights and Religious Revivalism on the Rochester Reform  Trail" (Rochester & Seneca Falls, NY).

From 2008-2011, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit's "Teaching American History Grant Program." TAH provided lectures from distinguished scholars and modeled new pedagogical approaches to history education. I also attended the capstone, "Teaching the American Civil Rights Institute" in 2011.

During the summer of 2010, I spent four weeks studying Constitutionalism at Georgetown University as part of my James Madison Memorial Fellowship for Teachers.  In 2008, I was awarded this fellowship (representing the State of Pennsylvania), which provided a scholarship to attend Villanova University. In 2014, I graduated summa cum laude from Villanova with a second master's degree (American History) and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi (Graduate) and Phi Alpha Theta (History) Honor Societies.

-2009, National Endowment of the Humanities Workshop: "Lowell and the  Industrial Revolution" (Lowell National Historical Park, MA). I investigated the origins and implications of the Industrial Revolution on American society.

-In 2008, I was awarded the James Madison Memorial Fellowship for the State of Pennsylvania (one Fellowship being awarded to one teacher from each state).  As part of the Fellowship, I received $24,000 to obtain a Master's Degree in American History at Villanova University.  In 2010, I took part in a month-long intensive study of Constitutional History at Georgetown University. 

In front of Thomas Jefferson's Popular Forest with my "Strati-cello" participants.  

-2006, Gilder Lehrman Institute: "The Colonial Era: Structure & Texture" (Yale University). I had the opportunity to study with the foremost Social Historian of the Colonial Era, Dr. John Demos.

-In 2006, I was also selected to represent the State of Pennsylvania during the first ever Presidential Academy for American History and Civics.  During this fourteen-day seminar, we explored the Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address and "I Have a Dream" Speech in the cities associated with their inception (Philadelphia, Gettysburg and Washington D.C.).