National History Teachers of the Year | HTOY

2024 National Winner: Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, an educator at Riverbend High School in Fredericksburg, Va., has been named the 2024 National History Teacher of the Year.

Lamb-Cason (Schaghticoke/HoChunk) is an accomplished educator, advocate, author, and storyteller. For the past decade, she taught history at Riverbend High School in Fredericksburg, Va., where she earned recognition for her innovative lesson plans and leadership in history education at the local, state, and national levels. Now serving as the Assistant Director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative at Brown University, she is dedicated to advancing Indigenous studies, ensuring accurate representation of Indigenous voices, and promoting the respectful inclusion of Indigenous histories in educational resources.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this award, which not only recognizes my years of work and dedication but also celebrates the educators, administrators, and students who have supported and inspired me,” says Lamb-Cason. “Being recognized at this level serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of including diverse perspectives in teaching American history, especially those of traditionally marginalized communities.”

Lamb-Cason will receive a $10,000 grand prize at a special ceremony on October 15, 2024, at the Harvard Club of New York City. The award will be presented by Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Now in its twenty-first year, the National History Teacher of the Year award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The annual award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US territories and names one of the state winners the National History Teacher of the Year.

2023 National Winner: Matthew Vriesman

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Matthew Vriesman, a high school history teacher in Kentwood, Michigan, has been named the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year.

Matthew Vriesman teaches AP United States History, AP African American Studies, and AP World History and is the Model United Nations director at East Kentwood High School, a public school in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, suburbs.

For the selection committee, Vriesman’s teaching stood out for his exceptional ability to tell the story of American history through the lens of his community. His efforts include working with the Grand Rapids Museum to tell the story of the Great Migration through the experiences of Black migrants to Grand Rapids and having his students use historical archives and primary source documents to build a historic virtual tour of western Michigan.

Says Vriesman: “It’s a great honor to represent history teachers! This profession comes with great responsibility, and it’s exciting, challenging, humbling, and deeply rewarding.”

Lindsay Kimbrough, assistant principal at East Kentwood, adds: “While Mr. Vriesman’s knowledge of content is superior, he can forge relationships with all students that truly mold their passion for learning and understanding history. His passion for the students and his dedication to making content relevant for all students sets him apart.”

On Tuesday, October 24, Matthew Vriesman will be honored and receive a check for $10,000 at a ceremony held at the Harvard Club in New York City. The presentation will include a video created by HISTORY® highlighting Vriesman’s career and accomplishments.

Now in its twentieth year, the National History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The annual award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US territories and names one of the state winners the National History Teacher of the Year.

2022 National Winner: Misha Matsumoto Yee

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Misha Matsumoto Yee, a history teacher at St. Andrew’s Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been named the 2022 National History Teacher of the Year.

Matsumoto Yee received her Master of Arts in American History from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and is currently the Upper School Social Science Department Chair at St. Andrew’s Schools – The Priory, an all-girls K–12 program with a college preparatory school. She teaches AP US History, AP Government and Politics, US History, US Government, World Cultures and Religions, and electives including Independent Inquiry and a Model United Nations class. She helped to create the Global Leadership criteria at St. Andrew’s Schools.

Misha prepared students to attend the American Judicature Society (AJS) National Conference in December 2021, where St. Andrew’s Schools was the only high school in attendance. She has served as a reader for the College Board’s AP US History Exam since 2018. She also presented at the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities’ Democracy and the Informed Citizen workshop in 2018; her presentation integrated the use of comic books as primary sources in American history curriculum

“It was a surprise and an honor to have been named the National History Teacher of the Year,” says Matsumoto Yee. “The Priory students, with their enthusiasm and curiosity, motivate me every day. I share this honor with them and with my colleagues, all of whom have a love of teaching that translates to a profoundly rich learning experience for our students, preparing them to engage with purpose as young leaders.”

She continues: “I enjoy witnessing students see themselves represented in their nation’s history. Through learning about groups and communities they identify with, they become passionate learners and understand the importance of learning history.”

Engaging and inspiring students in American history education has never been more critical. As the 2022 National History Teacher of the Year, Misha Matsumoto Lee will serve as an important ambassador for the teaching community and a spokesperson and thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education for all, particularly students from underserved communities.

Matsumoto Yee will be honored on Tuesday, October 18 at a ceremony in New York City, which will also be livestreamed. Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, will present the National History Teacher of the Year award and a prize of $10,000. The presentation will include a video, created by HISTORY®, showcasing Misha Matsumoto Yee.

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The award honors one K−12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of Gilder Lehrman books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2021 National Winner: Nataliya Braginsky

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Nataliya Braginsky, a social studies teacher at Metropolitan Business Academy in New Haven, Connecticut, has been named the 2021 National History Teacher of the Year.

A high school social studies and English teacher who has been working in schools since 2007, Braginsky has worked at Metropolitan Business Academy, a public high school in New Haven, for the past eight years. Her current classes include African American and Latinx History, Journalism, and Contemporary Law.

In addition to teaching, Braginsky formed a restorative justice working group at Metropolitan that led to the creation of a Youth Justice Panel, an alternative to punitive discipline policies. Since 2012, Braginsky has also been facilitating workshops for educators on culturally relevant pedagogy, anti-racist and liberatory education, curriculum development, and restorative justice practices. She has co-organized national conferences, including the Allied Media Conference’s Education for Freedom track, Philadelphia Teacher Action Group’s Education for Liberation Curriculum Fair, and New Haven’s Culturally Relevant Pedagogy conference.

“Against the backdrop of so much devastation, this recognition is all the more meaningful, and I receive it with gratitude, reverence, and hope,” says Braginsky.

Engaging and inspiring students in American history education has never been more critical. As the 2021 National History Teacher of the Year, Braginsky will serve as an important ambassador for the teaching community and a spokesperson and thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education for all, particularly students from underserved communities.

Braginsky will be honored on Wednesday, October 6 at 8 p.m. ET in a special virtual ceremony, where Henry Louis Gates, Jr.—the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, and a world-famous author and documentarian—will present the award and a prize of $10,000.

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The award honors one K−12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of Gilder Lehrman books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2020 National Winner: Sergio de Alba

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is pleased to announce that Sergio de Alba, an elementary school teacher from Northern California, has been named the 2020 National History Teacher of the Year.

Sergio de Alba teaches at R. M. Miano Elementary School in Los Baños, California. He is a National Geographic Certified Teacher, a National Council for the Social Studies Elementary Teacher of the Year, and a 2020 Grosvenor Teacher Research Fellow in Antarctica. He created the award-winning Family Farm Citrus Project, in which students partake in a series of agriculture-based lessons and get to know the requirements of successful agricultural businesses. He developed and continues to supervise an annual Family Astronomy Night, facilitated a yearlong, award-winning, inquiry-based Patriotic Jeopardy competition, and ran a program for self-contained elementary classes that motivated and inspired English language learners.

Since 2001, he has received more than 115 awards, grants, and donations, adding up to over $580,000, for programs designed to enrich and enhance his students’ education.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2020 we celebrated Sergio de Alba as the National History Teacher of the Year and also celebrated teachers everywhere—the lifeblood of the educational system, and true heroes during this unprecedented year—in A Tribute to Teachers: Heroes of 2020. Lin-Manuel Miranda presented the 2020 National History Teacher of the Year award, and we heard hear from historians, teachers, and students about the profound and lasting influence teachers have had on their lives. HISTORY, a sponsor of our NHTOY program, will produce a video about Mr. de Alba included in this celebration.

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000, an archive of Gilder Lehrman books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award. The National winner receives a $10,000 prize and an award ceremony in their honor.

2019 National Winner: Alysha Butler

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Alysha Butler, a social studies teacher at McKinley Technology High School in Washington, DC, has been named the 2019 National History Teacher of the Year. Butler, who is a participating teacher in GLI’s Hamilton Education Program, will be honored at a ceremony at the Yale Club in New York on October 2, where John Avlon, Senior Political Analyst and anchor at CNN, will present her with the award and a prize of $10,000.

“I am honored to be recognized by an institution that supports teachers and their efforts to provide students with a deeper understanding of history,” said Butler. “It is my hope to continue to help students of all backgrounds and communities gain access to and explore the known and unknown voices of the past so that they may develop a more accurate understanding of our present and serve as hope for our future.”

In addition to teaching 11th grade US History, Alysha also serves as District Course Chair this year. She won the 2019 Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of United States History Award, was a 2019 GrantEd Recipient and was selected as the 2010 Miramar High School Teacher of the Year.

“Alysha is a master teacher who makes history come to life every day for her students by connecting all of her lessons to life’s compelling questions, diverse themes and exciting literature,” said David Pinder, Ed.D., high school instructional superintendent for DC Public Schools. “Through innovative techniques, she engages her classes in Socratic seminars, role playing pieces and editorial writing so they are able to place themselves directly in the minds and actions of the people who impacted the world’s most provocative events, while never forgetting that tomorrow’s history will be written by them.”

Engaging and inspiring students in American history education has never been more critical. As the 2019 National History Teacher of the Year, Butler will serve as an important ambassador for the teaching community and a spokesperson for thought leadership on the importance of high-quality American history education for all, particularly students from underserved communities.

“Alysha is an effective teacher because she makes her lessons relevant, which is not always an easy thing to do,” said Dr. Louise Jones, McKinley High School principal. “She uses a variety of instructional techniques and strategies so that students can visualize historical events and then connect them to their own lives and experiences.”

“It was challenging, to say the least, to pick a winner among this year’s group of ten outstanding finalists,” said James Basker, president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “But Alysha’s innovative teaching methods, her dedication to her students and clearly obvious passion for history make her the ideal candidate for what this award represents.”

Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary through high school. The award honors one K−12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and U.S. Territories. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000, an archive of Gilder Lehrman books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2018 National Winner: Joseph Welch

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Joseph Welch, a social studies teacher at North Hills Middle School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been named the 2018 National History Teacher of the Year. Welch, who at 33, is the youngest winner to date, will be honored at a ceremony at the Yale Club in New York on October 10, where Edward L. Ayers, Tucker-Boatwright Professor of Humanities and President Emeritus at the University of Richmond, will present him with the award and a prize of $10,000.

“There are many facets of my teaching that I would like to continue to improve and partnerships I would like to explore, and the application process for this award has been both self-reflective and inspirational,” said Welch. “My goal is to continue to innovate in my classroom and to be a leader and advocate for social studies and history education, both in my state and nationwide.”

An eighth grade social studies teacher, Welch has also been the curriculum chair and project advisor for Project Connect, a sponsor of the National History Day Program for Regional Students, and the director of North Hills Middle School’s D.C. Trip Program.

“Joe Welch is a diligent educator who thoroughly realizes the difference that innovation and creativity in the classroom can bring to a child’s education and future,” said Dr. Patrick J. Mannarino, superintendent of North Hills School District. “He makes American history come to life as he strives to instill a love of the content matter through engaging and technology-driven coursework and projects. We are ecstatic that he has been recognized on the national stage and honored to have such a dedicated and forward-thinking teacher in our district.”

Engaging and inspiring students in American history education has never been more critical. As the 2018 National History Teacher of the Year, Welch will serve as an important ambassador for the teaching community and a spokesperson for thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education for all, particularly students from underserved communities.

“Joe Welch is an advocate for each and every student, working to find multiple strategies to reach out, engage, and challenge them at their level while creating the best educational learning environment possible,” said David Lieberman, principal of North Hills Middle School. “I have learned to rely on Mr. Welch as an integral educational leader, a person who is passionate about student learning, and a National Board Social Studies teacher who takes on responsibility outside of the classroom.

“It was a difficult job, to say the least, to pick a winner among this year’s group of ten outstanding finalists,” says James Basker, president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “But Joe’s all-consuming dedication to his students and teaching has been evident from the start of the judging process, and we think he perfectly embodies the profession.”

In addition to the national award, the Gilder Lehrman Institute annually recognizes a first-rate history teacher in every state and US territory. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2017 National Winner: Sara Ziemnik

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Sara Ziemnik of Rocky River, Ohio, has been named the 2017 National History Teacher of the Year. Ziemnik will be honored at a ceremony at a private club in New York City on November 8, where Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner will present her with the award and a prize of $10,000.

“When it comes to classroom instruction and content delivery, Sara Ziemnik is a master at her craft,” says Robert Winton, principal at Rocky River High School. “Students are engaged through Socratic Seminars, role-playing, and other creative ways to relay historical events to high school kids. An item that isn’t normally measured by national or state mandated evaluation models, is the ability to develop and maintain relationships with students. She is able to teach rigorous content and hold high learning expectations all while keeping a smile on her students’ faces.”

Ziemnik has taught American history and world history for seventeen years at Rocky River High School, where she encourages her students to learn from one another, centering her classroom around debate, discussion, and inquisitive learning. “My students have the responsibility as American citizens to form their own opinions,” Ziemnik says. “Nothing makes me prouder or happier than a classroom full of voices—sometimes arguing, sometimes questioning, and always developing a unique identity and sense of self as Americans.”

In addition, Ziemnik deploys digital tools and works with the local community to bring the past alive for her students, including creating content for Cleveland State University’s “Cleveland Historical” app, where students can explore Cleveland history via interactive tours. In a project aligned with the app, her students create documentary projects on Cleveland history where they dig through local archives, conduct interviews, and view the story of their city as a microcosm of American history.

Engaging and inspiring students in American history education has never been more important. As the 2017 National History Teacher of the Year, Ziemnik will serve as an important ambassador for the teaching community and thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education for all, particularly students from underserved communities.

In addition to the national award, the Gilder Lehrman Institute annually recognizes a first-rate history teacher in every state and US territory. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2016 National Winner: Kevin Cline

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Kevin Cline from Frankton, Indiana, has been named the 2016 National History Teacher of the Year. Started in 2004, the award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school.

Mr. Cline will receive a $10,000 award and attend a ceremony in his honor at the Yale Club in New York City on October 24, 2016. The award will be presented by Gordon S. Wood, who is the Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University and the recipient of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for History for The Radicalism of the American Revolution.

Mr. Cline teaches United States history and government and world history at Frankton High School in Frankton, Indiana. He is also the Department Chair for Social Studies at his school and an advisor and board member for the National History Club.

“I am so incredibly honored and humbled to have been chosen for this award, especially when I consider the vast multitude of amazing educators around the country,” says Mr. Cline. “As honored as I am, however, it doesn’t match the privilege I have, every day, to work with the best kids. There is not a single good thing that happens in our classroom that isn’t because of them.”

Mr. Cline uses innovative digital tools in his teaching, such as incorporating social media into his lessons on Indiana state history, and worked with Indiana University to create Freedom Summer, an educational application on the Civil Rights Movement. He inspires his students to become more active citizens, and notes proudly that many of his students vote and volunteer at polling sites. He frequently shares his teaching methods in presentations through the Indiana Department of Education.

"I am in awe of Kevin’s passion for history education,” says Tim Bailey, the Gilder Lehrman Institute’s Director of Education, “his method of teaching history as a storyteller along with his use of primary sources exemplifies the creativity and enthusiasm of a National History Teacher of the Year.”

In addition to the national award, the Gilder Lehrman Institute annually recognizes a first-rate history teacher in every state and US territory. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2015 National Winner: Mary Huffman

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is pleased to announce that Mary Huffman from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has been named the 2015 National History Teacher of the Year. Started in 2004, the award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school.

Ms. Huffman will receive a $10,000 award and attend a ceremony in her honor at the Yale Club in New York City on October 19, 2015. The award will be presented by Robin Roberts, co-anchor on ABC’s morning show Good Morning America.

Mary Huffman teaches fifth grade at Charles Pinckney Elementary, a public school in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She uses hands-on lessons to help her students “become active American citizens who make positive changes in the future.” Her students create care packages, write letters to US troops, and participate in veteran’s week celebrations by inviting soldiers into the classroom. Ms. Huffman has also designed an interactive unit that includes a WWII draft simulation.

“It is essential that the past is not forgotten, and teachers hold the tools to pry open old hope chests to uncover dusty photo albums from the past,” Ms. Huffman explains. Each week, she dresses up in clothing from the era being studied, allowing her students to get up close and personal with historic artifacts, such as twenties flapper dresses, nineteenth-century Native American fringed pants, and military uniforms from the Vietnam era.

“One of the most exciting things the Institute does is to award this prize that honors great teaching,” says Lesley S. Herrmann, Executive Director of the Gilder Lehrman Institute. “I am in awe of Mary Huffman’s creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm. Her students are lucky indeed.”

In addition to the national award, Gilder Lehrman annually recognizes a first-rate history teacher in every state and US territory. Winners of the state awards receive $1,000 and an archive of Gilder Lehrman books and resources for their school library, and become finalists for the national award.

2014 National Winner: Michele Anderson

HISTORY® and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History are pleased to announce that Westland, Michigan, high school teacher Michele Anderson has been named the 2014 National History Teacher of the Year. HISTORY® and The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History have awarded the National History Teacher of the Year Award annually since 2004. It highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school.

“HISTORY® is pleased to join with the Gilder Lehrman Institute in honoring outstanding history teachers through the History Teacher of the Year award,” said Dr. Libby O’Connell, Chief Historian and SVP, Corporate Outreach for HISTORY®. “Michele Anderson exemplifies the best in history education, and we are proud to help highlight her outstanding achievements.”

Michele Anderson is a teacher at John Glenn High School, a public school sixteen miles west of downtown Detroit. She has been lauded for leading her students on creative and original community outreach and oral history interview projects with World War II and Korean War veterans. Her work has drawn the attention and acclaim of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Library of Congress, and in 2013 Ms. Anderson received the Michigan Historical Commission’s John B. Swainson Award for her efforts to preserve the memory of Michigan’s defense workers and World War II veterans.

“Students get excited about history when somehow it becomes real to them,” said Ms. Anderson. “Teachers have to help students make connections between what the student is learning and how that piece of history relates to something in their life. As teachers, we call it the ‘aha’ experience.”

Each year, HISTORY® and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History recognize exemplary educators who use creative methods to make American history memorable through the use of primary source documents, artifacts, historic sites, guest lectures, and other resources. In addition to the national award, HISTORY® and Gilder Lehrman acknowledge a first-rate history teacher in each of the 50 states, Washington, DC, the Department of Defense Schools, and US Territories. Each state winner receives $1,000 and an archive of books and resources from Gilder Lehrman and HISTORY® for their school’s library, and becomes a finalist for the national award.

“Honoring a great history teacher is one of the most rewarding things we do,” said Lesley S. Herrmann, Executive Director of the Gilder Lehrman Institute, “because in celebrating Michele Anderson, we honor all teachers who inspire our children to learn about the people and events that shaped our country.”

Michele Anderson was selected for the National History Teacher of the Year Award from more than 1,000 nationwide nominees and was chosen by a panel that included Elaine Reed, former executive director of the National Council for History Education; University of Texas historian Jeremi Suri; 2013 National History Teacher of the Year Jill Szymanski; and Tim Bailey, Gilder Lehrman’s director of education.

As the winner of the award, Ms. Anderson will receive $10,000 and attend a ceremony in her honor in New York City. This year’s ceremony will take place at The Princeton Club on December 9, 2014. The award will be presented by historian Earl Lewis, former provost at Emory University and current president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

2013 National Winner: Jill Szymanski

Jill Szymanski, a 4th/5th-grade teacher at Red Clay Consolidated School District, Wilmington, Delaware, was presented the 2013 National History Teacher of the Year Award by Kenneth T. Jackson, Jacques Barzun Professor in History and the Social Sciences, Columbia University, at a ceremony at the University Club in Midtown, New York, on October 21, 2013. The National History Teacher of the Year annual award, co-sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, HISTORY®, and Preserve America, recognizes the country’s best K–12 American history teacher of the year with a $10,000 prize.

Jack Markell, Delaware Governor, in a surprise video message to Ms. Szymanski during the ceremony stated: “Teacher quality is the most important school-related factor in a student’s success. It is educators like Jill who have a special ability to bring out the best in their pupils . . . [She] sets an example that helps her peers improve . . . Thank you Jill, for helping to inspire all of us to ensure that we do everything we can to provide our young people the best possible education.”

Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation added: “The ACHP congratulates Jill Szymanski on being named the 2013 National History Teacher of the Year. Her passion for bringing the stories of history to life and encouraging her elementary students’ engagement in significant research and study is most commendable. It is history teachers like Jill who inspire students to become historic preservationists as they understand the importance of place and the protection of it to share with future generations.”

HISTORY® (The History Channel) also presented a short video during the ceremony which filmed Ms. Szymanski and her students in the classroom. The video commemorated Jill for her excellence in teaching and featured Jill working hands-on with her students.

Jill Szymanski, 2013 National History Teacher of the Year, remarked: “I want . . . [my students] to grow up to be good citizens and active members of our democracy. I want them to know about the freedoms our country was founded on and to understand how hard our citizens are willing to fight to protect those freedoms . . . Having the skills to overcome obstacles and face challenges head on is a skill I hope they take with them when they leave me.”

Ms. Szymanski holds a Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Delaware and has taught at Brandywine Springs School in the Red Clay Consolidated School District, Wilmington, Delaware, for more than thirteen years. She creates learning environments for her students that encourage them to explore history in inspired ways. Students demonstrate their knowledge through multimedia projects, oral presentations, acting, and painting. They also develop critical thinking skills by researching competing primary source documents and debating differing viewpoints in class. She has previously received the 2012 Brandywine Springs School Teacher of the Year Award and was a Red Clay Consolidated School District Teacher of the Year finalist.

2012 National Winner: Joshua Bill

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History presented the 2012 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Josh Bill, a teacher at Waukegan High School in Waukegan, Illinois, on December 4, 2012. The award, including a $10,000 prize, was presented by Caroline Kennedy at the Frederick Douglass Academy, a public Gilder Lehrman flagship school in New York City. Bill was nominated for the award by his colleague Ali Schultz, an English teacher at Waukegan High School.

Mr. Bill is “just another historian in the room” as he allows his students to take the lead in discussions on complex issues in American history. His students are prepared to offer and defend their positions through the information that they have gathered from analyzing primary sources, a cornerstone of Mr. Bill’s classroom. Whether it is through a reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill in the school auditorium or a simulation of a Supreme Court hearing, Mr. Bill’s students are experiencing history through creative projects.

Mr. Bill is “just another historian in the room” as he allows his students to take the lead in discussions on complex issues in American history. His students are prepared to offer and defend their positions through the information that they have gathered from analyzing primary sources, a cornerstone of Mr. Bill’s classroom. Whether it is through a reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill in the school auditorium or a simulation of a Supreme Court hearing, Mr. Bill’s students are experiencing history through creative projects.

His students become immersed in historical research during preparation for the Chicago Metro History Fair, part of the National History Day Competition. In his first few years teaching, Mr. Bill revived the program at his school and has since led his students to success at the local, state, and national levels of the competition. He also reinvigorated a partnership between Waukegan High School and the Waukegan Historical Society that allows students to conduct research on the history of Waukegan. Several projects have gone beyond the competition to make lasting contributions to the local community. For his dedication and many classroom initiatives, Mr. Bill has been recognized by National History Day, the Illinois State Historical Society, and the Center for Civic Education. He is also active in mentoring new and future teachers through his alma mater, Lake Forest College. “As they enter my classroom,” says Mr. Bill, “students are unaware that they will leave not just as historians, but with an appreciation of the fact that American history resonates with their lives.”

2011 National Winner: Stacy Hoeflich

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History presented the 2011 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Stacy Hoeflich, a teacher at John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia. Hoeflich received the $10,000 award on October 18, 2011 at the Frederick Douglass Academy, a public Gilder Lehrman flagship school in New York City. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg congratulated Ms. Hoeflich at the ceremony.

As she teaches the history of Virginia to her fourth-grade students, Stacy Hoeflich introduces them to primary sources and their importance in the study of the past. Following a summer institute that she attended on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ms. Hoeflich helped her students write, produce, and perform three operas on George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, and Virginia’s Indians. Her students participate in "Colonial Day" fairs, receive visits from historical reenactors, and take field trips to local historic sites including Jamestown, Monticello, and Mount Vernon.

Ms. Hoeflich shares her knowledge and experience in the use of primary sources with colleagues in her community and across the country. She serves as an Educational Consultant for the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University where she creates and models lesson plans that use documents ranging from John Smith’s 1612 map of Virginia to a pair of 1950s political cartoons on Virginia’s "Massive Resistance" to school desegregation. She has also participated and served as a leader in her district’s Teaching American History Grant and has presented at the national conferences of the Organization of American Historians, the American Historical Association and the National Council for the Social Studies.

2010 National Winner: Nathan McAlister

The Institute presented the 2010 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Nathan McAlister, a teacher at Royal Valley Middle School in Mayetta, Kansas.

In addition to creating hands-on, primary-source-focused lessons for his seventh and eighth grade students, Mr. McAlister also sponsors Royal Valley Middle School’s history club, which meets on weekends, and serves as the advisor to the school-wide history fair. During his thirteen-year teaching career, Mr. McAlister has served on the Executive Board of the Kansas Council for History Education, developed lessons for the Kansas State Historical Society, and established many other history education initiatives connected to his classroom. In spring 2010, his seventh grade students researched local Underground Railroad history and petitioned representatives to support a bill—a bill they drafted in class—marking a portion of a nearby highway as an Underground Railroad trail. The Kansas state legislature passed the bill into law.

2009 National Winner: Tim Bailey

The Institute presented the 2009 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Tim Bailey, a history teacher at Escalante Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mr. Bailey began his teaching career in 1989, and obtained both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from the University of Utah, where he has served as an adjunct faculty member and teacher mentor for the past eight years. He has written three American history workbooks focused on primary sources for elementary classrooms in the Easy Simulations series, published in 2008 by Scholastic. A Fulbright Scholar in 2003, he has earned several awards from the state of Utah, the Salt Lake City school district, and others.

2008 National Winner: David Mitchell

The Institute presented the 2008 National History Teacher of the Year Award to David B. Mitchell, a high school teacher at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

Mr. Mitchell began his teaching career as part of the Teach for America Program. He taught in Los Angeles and Baltimore before coming to Masconomet High School in 1995 with an undergraduate degree, and has earned two master’s degrees while tirelessly working to improve educational opportunities for students and mentoring many colleagues. His extensive professional and civic involvement attests to his determination to demonstrate the active participation necessary to build a better society.

2007 National Winner: Maureen Festi

The Institute presented the 2007 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Maureen Festi, a fifth grade teacher at Stafford Elementary School in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.

The Institute presented the 2007 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Maureen Festi, a fifth grade teacher at Stafford Elementary School in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Ms. Festi conducts extensive research and locates primary source documents for her students to analyze, question, and challenge. This has enabled them to uncover evidence of a colonial ironworks in Stafford and discover Connecticut’s and Stafford’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. Her students also visit many local and state historical sites either in person or through multimedia presentations that Ms. Festi has filmed.

2006 National Winner: Gerry Kohler

The Institute presented the 2006 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Gerry Kohler, a ninth grade US history teacher at VanDevender Junior High School in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

During her twenty-seven-year career in education Mrs. Kohler has taught at both the elementary and secondary levels. She is the vice president of the Wood County Historical Preservation Society, among many other activities. With her students, she organized a Junior Historical Society that encourages students with an enthusiasm for history to help clean up and maintain two historic cemeteries in their community, and future projects include a Civil War campsite.

2005 National Winner: Rosanne Lichatin

The Institute presented the 2005 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Rosanne Lichatin, a US history teacher at West Morris Central High School in Chester, New Jersey.

Her thirty-year career in education includes experience in both elementary and secondary levels of instruction. Mrs. Lichatin is a member of the National Council for History Education and the Organization of American Historians. In addition, she is a co-advisor of the National History Club, which was launched in 2003 at West Morris Central High School.

2004 National Winner: Kathleen Cochrane Kean

The Institute presented the 2004 National History Teacher of the Year Award to Kathleen Cochrane Kean, an Advanced Placement US history teacher at Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin.

Mrs. Kean has taught Advanced Placement US history as well as other history courses for more than twenty-five years, including a course for at-risk students. She helped create an interdisciplinary American studies program in which teachers build connections between American literature, history, and the arts. She introduced the study of American architecture into the program and helps plan an annual field trip for juniors to visit historic neighborhoods in Milwaukee.