Woodside High School social studies teacher Janet Costello in Newport News has received the James Madison Graduate Fellowship for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Valued at $24,000, the fellowship supports instruction in the U.S. Constitution at the secondary-school level. Established and funded by Congress in 1986, the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation selects one recipient from each state annually.
The selection process includes an application and review by a state-level committee, which looks for educators committed to advancing constitutional knowledge and civic engagement in their classrooms. Costello described the fellowship as a community of teachers dedicated to these principles. She expressed gratitude for the chance and said she intends to deepen her expertise in American government and civic education.
Costello plans to pursue a master’s degree in teaching American government at Ashland University. The program will also allow her to meet the requirements for teaching dual-enrollment government courses within Newport News Public Schools, giving local students more opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school.
That goal fits within Virginia’s statutory structure for postsecondary credit and degree attainment. Under the College and Career Ready Virginia provisions in the Code of Virginia, school divisions must establish agreements with comprehensive community colleges that outline options students can pursue alongside a high-school diploma, including an associate degree. The options also include a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies and the Passport Program. The agreements must specify credit available for dual-enrollment courses and for Advanced Placement exams with qualifying scores of three or higher.
The James Madison Graduate Fellowship is designed to strengthen constitutional instruction and help students develop a thorough understanding of the nation’s foundational legal document. Its focus on civic education aligns with wider efforts to build young people’s understanding of government and democratic participation. In Newport News, Costello’s fellowship brings advanced study in American government into a local school setting, while Virginia’s dual-enrollment structure gives students pathways to earn postsecondary credit before graduating.
