Welcome to The Forgottonia Project—a podcast that began as a shared classroom sandbox for students to explore, wrestle with, and reshape the identity of our rural region in western Illinois.
My name is Joey Brewer, I’m an educator and rural advocate based in rural west-central Illinois. While I try to keep a low profile as the podcast host, the purpose of this space is to share a bit further who I am, why this project exists, and how it connects to my work in education and civic engagement.
Why This Project
As a rural teacher, I’ve long wrestled with a hard reality: many of my students feel they have to leave this place to succeed. I don’t believe that’s inherently wrong—but I do believe they deserve the chance to understand what makes this region worth staying for before making that decision.
The Forgottonia Project was born as a learning laboratory—a classroom “sandbox” for students to think deeply about history, culture, and identity in rural America. Through storytelling, interviews, and research, this space empowers students (and listeners) to find their own voice in shaping the region’s future.
Who I Am
I’ve spent the last two decades as a history/social studies teacher, Dean of Students, dual credit instructor, and GED educator. I’m passionate about student voice, place-based learning, and using education as a tool for civic empowerment—especially in communities too often overlooked. I’ve had the opportunity to lead and contribute to statewide and national conversations around rural education, CTE, humanities, and AI in schools.
Writing & Media
🎤 Podcast Features & Interviews
- “The Forgottonia Project’ student-led local history initiative asks rural students to get curious,” Teachers’ Lounge Podcast (September, 2025)
- Forgottonia Project highlights the people, history, and issues of rural Illinois, The 21st Show, Illinois Public Media (2025)
- The 21st Show, As Illinois schools prepare to reopen, staff shortage and Department of Education, cuts pose some challenge (August 6, 2025)
- Learner-Centered Podcast with Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert, Mastery Portfolio (July 1, 2025)
- Rural Experience in America Podcast: Building Bridges with Primary Sources (2025)
- Bridging the Gap: AI and Rural Education,” with IL Teacher of the Year Dr. Rachael Mahmood
- Tri-States Public Radio: Welcome to Forgottonia (2023)
- Capitol News Illinois: “Rural schools face unique challenges filling positions,” (2025)
- Foreground Rural Panel: Free Frank McWorter & Civic Memory (2024)
- “Illinois educators want guidance on how to use AI in classrooms – Chalkbeat” (2025)
- “Teachers’ group calling on state to provide policy, regulations on AI in the classroom,” Jacksonville Journal-Courier (2025)
- “Illinois teachers urging lawmakers to help them use artificial intelligence safely in the classroom“ (2024)
- “IL Creates Rural Advisory Council” (2023)
- IL Humanities program “Distributions People, Places, and Power – Fulton County Edition” (7:00-16:00) (2022)
- Rural Schools Collaborative Profile – “I am a Rural Teacher” (2023)
- Postmark Peoria Radio Interview (2023)
- “Fulton County Democrat Journalists Visit Local Classroom” (2020)
📝 Selected Op-Eds & Publications
- Why Rural America Should Lead the CTE Charge to Reimagine Schools (2025)
- This Ain’t Your Grandfather’s CTE: Revitalizing Rural Schools Through Career Technical Education (2024)
- Why Illinois Must Lead in Responsible AI Integration in Our Schools (2025)
- Building a Public History Project in Rural Illinois (2023)
- Reclaiming Creativity: Why Schools Must Embrace Humanities-Centric Education (2025)
- How Public History and AI Can Transform Classrooms (2025)
🎙️ Conference Presentations, Panels, & other Community Engagement
- NCHE, NCSS, Midwest Sociological Society, IL Humanities, and more
- Foreground Rural Initiative advisory committee (2022 – Present)
- Forum on Poverty, Community Panel Discussion (March, 2017)
- Screen-Free Week fostering dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders to address critical issues impacting education (2018)
- Beardstown students connect nationwide through Smithsonian virtual exchange (May, 2025)
- Public History of Forgottonia, NCHE Rural Experience in America Project (2023-2025)
Want to Learn More?
If you’re interested in partnering, presenting, or just chatting about how rural education, public history, or storytelling can transform communities, feel free to reach me via email – joeybrewer8989@gmail.com.
Still Curious?
If this is your first time here, you might start with these episodes:
🎧 Oral History of Forgottonia – Student podcasts as part of the NCHE Rural Experience in America
🎧 On Community: The Writings of John Hallwas – Western Illinois’ most prolific author. Dr. Hallwas has written over 30 books about the region and is a big influence behind this podcast.
🎧 Rural Schools & the Future of Career and Technical Education: A Conversation with John Glasgow, Program Director – Rural IL CTE Project – This episode represents our exploration into innovations shaping rural schools.
🎧 Building a Public History Project in Your Town
The Forgottonia Project 