Vermont Students Advocated for Women's History Requirements
Students at Champlain Valley Union High School have launched a global movement to mandate women's history in school curricula.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Students at Champlain Valley Union High School founded the nonprofit Her Education Required to address inconsistencies in how women's history is taught. The organization now boasts 1,000 participants across eight countries and is working with state officials to update Vermont social studies standards.
Why it matters
The initiative seeks to close a perceived gap in historical instruction that local students identified through surveys of five Vermont high schools. The push for a mandatory course aims to ensure consistent representation of women's history in the classroom.
The nonprofit Her Education Required has grown to 100 chapters and 1,000 participants, and now offers need-based scholarship aid up to $10,000. It also launched the History by Her bookmark program to promote educational resources.
The players
Amelie Fairweather
The student founder of Her Education Required who initiated the advocacy movement at Champlain Valley Union High School.
Vermont Agency of Education
The state authority responsible for setting social studies standards and graduation requirements for public schools.
Her Education Required
A student-led nonprofit organization that now operates 100 chapters across eight countries to promote women's history education.
The details
Students collaborate directly with school administrators and community leaders to propose curriculum adjustments. This work aligns with existing state graduation frameworks defined by Act 73. The organization is currently advocating for a dedicated, mandatory women's history course for all students.
Timeline
The organization was conceived by Amelie Fairweather during the 2025-2026 academic year.
A new scholarship fund was officially launched during the 2026-2027 academic year.
The Home Front
This advocacy effort follows the regulatory framework set by Act 73 for Vermont high school graduation requirements. By working within the existing state structure, students aim to formalize how local curricula address core educational standards.
Parents and students should monitor upcoming public comments from the Vermont Agency of Education regarding potential shifts in social studies standards. Families can look for the History by Her bookmarks in their local schools to see how these materials are being integrated into daily instruction.
The takeaway
The movement highlights the potential for student-led advocacy to influence state educational policy regarding history curricula. Families can support the initiative by reviewing their local school's current social studies offerings and tracking the state's potential standard updates.
Further reading
Learn more about the evolving landscape of Secondary Education in our state and across the country.
Source note: This article includes information reported by My NBC5.
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