Priscilla Rahn

Priscilla was born in NYC. Her father is an army veteran and her mother is from Seoul, Korea. She received her BME from Texas Christian University. Priscilla is a 30-year veteran public school Master Teacher in Denver Public Schools; an elite distinction held by less than 1% of Colorado’s teachers. She was the first teacher in Colorado to become National Board Certified in Early Adolescent/Young Adult Music. Priscilla has worked in urban, suburban and rural schools in Texas, Colorado and Alaska as a public school teacher, principal, Regional Team Specialist, teacher evaluator/coach, Summer ELA Site Leader, high school tennis and volleyball coach and higher education Student Teacher Supervisor at Colorado Christian University. Priscilla is the 2020 Harriet Tubman “Moses” Teacher Leader of the Year recipient from The EduCtr and bestowed an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Aspen Theological Seminary.

Priscilla is married to international jazz saxophonist and record producer, Darren Rahn, and they volunteer on the worship band at their church. Priscilla is also a small business owner and loves to snowboard on her free time.

See her winning lesson plan outline here.

See her winning lesson plan slides here.

Our Interview With Priscilla

Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes, this was my first time!

How did you hear about the contest?
I heard about the contest from Jill Cullis. She was the presenter for the free Constituting America presentation. She brought flyers to my students and explained the contest and encouraged me to enter the teacher lesson plan contest.

What inspired your work?
I teach music, and one of the music standards is creativity. I thought it would be a great idea to teach my students how to write a song about the Constitution. I was inspired by watching videos of past Constituting America student winners and my students. I wanted to expose my students to songwriting, because even though it can be very daunting to young musicians, it doesn’t have to be out of their reach. It is important that my students embrace the challenge, so I found a simplified way of helping students connect important content within the Constitution to their ability to express themselves through song.

What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned that I don’t have to be a Social Studies teacher in order to create a platform for my students to engage with the Constitution! I can use music content and songwriting skills to help students make a personal connection with the history of America and tell their story. I also learned that it’s ok to not be an expert in history and the Constitution. I can start with a basic knowledge of my rights and freedoms and continue to learn from there.

How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I have already shared this amazing opportunity with other teachers to have Constituting America teach a free class to their students. I will continue to share this opportunity with my social media network.

How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
My friends/colleagues and I can typically find agreement on topics when we talk about the Constitution. Talking about the founding of our nation and our freedoms actually helps me engage with my friends and we discuss solutions to the problems we see in our government today.

What do you love about U.S History and the forming of our government?
I love that everyone I speak to agrees that all men are created equal. I love that our nation was founded on godly principles and the acknowledgement that we are born with unalienable rights. I love the story of Frederick Douglass and many other courageous people who fought to hold our government accountable for the words in our Constitution.

Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would love to visit the White House, Congress, Howard University, museums, any Frederick Douglass historical site and the US Supreme Court.

Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
The most influential and inspirational figure to me is Frederick Douglass. His story of being born a slave, escaping slavery, teaching himself to read, author 4 autobiographies and became the advisor to 5 US presidents is quite astounding!

Who is your greatest role model?
I think Lt. Governor Winsome Sears is an amazing role model as well as Dr. Ben Carson.

What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about honoring our veterans and seniors. My dad retired after 30 years in the Army. He was a Vietnam War veteran and my mom survived the Korean War. I believe we should take great care of our military and seniors so that they can live out their lives with dignity.

How do you spend your free time?
I enjoy crafting. I like to make soaps, body butters and candles! I also enjoy snowboarding and tennis.

What are your plans for the future?
I would love to open a music school. I would also love to have a small gift shop. I am running for County Commissioner and who knows where that will lead?!

If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
The most impactful thing I could do to help people is to share the gospel with them and pray for them. I think it’s important to defend our religious freedoms. I’ve just watched all of the attacks from the left against individual freedoms (i.e medical, right to go to church, etc.). I want to be a voice to protect these freedoms. I have been very active in my community teaching, raising money for student scholarships and foundations, but the issue of salvation is literally the most important issue I can think of. My goal is to be salt and light wherever I go and to treat people with love and dignity.

Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution is relevant today because it is still the supreme law of the land that outlines the proper role of government. It is the glue that keeps our three branches in check. It’s also relevant because it reminds us that our individuality is sacred and that we have the right to hold the government accountable for protecting our freedoms.

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