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Ms. Festi, who was recognized for her outstanding commitment to the study and love of American history and dedication to sharing this knowledge and passion with students, 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.

The History Teacher of the Year Award, established by Preserve America, recognizes outstanding American history teachers and the crucial importance of American history education. Winners are selected from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. Territories. These winners become finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year Award. Each state winner receives $1,000 and an archive of books and educational resources for his or her school's library.

SELECTED PRESS COVERAGE:

The Boston Globe
The Hartford Courant (includes video coverage)
WFSB-CT (includes video coverage)
White House Press Release

FOR 2008, all middle and high school teachers who have responsibility for teaching American history are eligible for nomination. Winners will be chosen based on several criteria.

Qualifying Criteria

• At least three years of classroom experience in teaching American history.
• A deep career commitment to teaching American history, which includes local and state history.
• Evidence of creativity and imagination in the classroom that address literacy and content beyond state standards.
• Close attention to primary documents, artifacts, historic sites, and other primary materials of history, including oral history.
• Evidence of thoughtful assessment of student achievement.

Eligibility

• Any full-time middle or high school teacher may be nominated who teaches American history (including local and state history) as his or her primary subject, or one of the subjects he or she is responsible for in the classroom.
  
  Procedure
  First Round: Nominations
  Submit the following to the state coordinator:

• The nominee’s resume.
• A letter of nomination that addresses the award criteria and includes quantitative measures of student achievement. Nominations can be made by a department or division head, a school director, social studies director, principal or superintendent.
• A letter of support from a colleague, immediate supervisor, or education professional familiar with the nominee’s work.

• A one-page statement of the nominee’s philosophy of teaching American history.
• A sample lesson plan, no longer than 3 pages. Primary document attachments are not included in the page limitation.
• A sample extended student project, demonstrating use of primary documents, artifacts, historic sites, etc. Nominees can include up to ten pages of student work in this category.
• An 8-10 minute video, which is not a class session, but a segment during which the nominee demonstrates class projects, and discusses his or her most effective teaching practices, and how student achievement is assessed. Students are not present in the video.

Please submit an original and three copies of all written materials.

Deadlines
First round deadlines vary from state to state. Please contact your state's coordinator for details.

2007 State Winners and State Coordinators

• Alabama
  Winner: Mary Beth Pugh, Bluff Park School, Hoover
  State Coordinator: Carolyn Townsend (ctownsend@alsde.edu)
• Alaska
  Winner: Mary McCaffrey, Skagway City School, Skagway
  State Coordinator: Steve Ex (Ex_Steve@asdk12.org)
• Arizona
  State Coordinator: Adria Lugo (adria.lugo@azed.gov)
• Arkansas
  Winner: Gina DeVore, ML King, Jr. Interdistrict Magnet Elementary School, Little Rock
  State Coordinator: Maggie Herrick (Margaret.herrick@arkansas.gov)
• California
  Winner: Meri Fedak, Charles F. Kettering Classical Elementary School, Long Beach
  State Coordinator: Linda Mehlbrech (lmehlbrech@lbusd.k12.ca.us)
• Colorado
  Winner: Jen Almquist Lehman, Superior Elementary School, Superior
  State Coordinator: Mary Anne Hoffman (gmahoffman@msn.com)
• Connecticut
  Winner: Maureen Festi, Stafford Elementary School, Stafford Springs
  State Coordinator: Daniel Gregg (Dan.Gregg@ct.gov)
• Delaware
  Winner: Rodney Collins, Lake Forest South Elementary School, Harrington
  State Coordinator: Preston Shockley (pshockley@doe.k12.de.us)
• Florida
  State Coordinator: Levon Terrell (Levon.Terrell@fldoe.org)
• Georgia
  Winner: Gina Esposito McGowan, A. Brian Merry Elementary School, Augusta
  State Coordinator: Peggy Caldwell (peggy@gabar.org)
• Hawaii
  Winner: Paul Waite, Kahuku Elementary School, Kahuku
  State Coordinator: Robert Buss (rbuss@hihumanities.org)
• Idaho
  Winner: Sharon Wagner, Ponderosa Elementary School, Post Falls
  State Coordinator: Russ Heller (russ.heller@boiseschools.org)
• Illinois
  Winner: Theresa Bartsch, Maud E. Johnson Elementary School, Rockford
  State Coordinator: John Craig (jcraig@isbe.net)
• Indiana
  Winner: Connie Lynn Diaz, Sugar Grove Elementary School, Greenwood
  State Coordinator: Don Adams (bethelpond@gmail.com)
• Iowa
  Winner: Kimberly Heckart, Prairie Ridge Elementary School, Cedar Rapids
  State Coordinator: Tom Connors (thomas.connors@cfu-cybernet.net)
• Kansas
  Winner: Deborah C. Shaffer, Guthridge Elementary School, Parsons
  State Coordinator: Glenn Wiebe (glennw@essdack.org)
• Kentucky
  Winner: Tammy Spratt, Sheperdsville Elementary School, Sheperdsville
  State Coordinator: Rebecca Hanly (Rebecca.hanly@ky.gov)
• Louisiana
  Winner: Ann Majeste, Anastasia C. Alexander Elementary School, Kenner
  State Coordinator: Nikki Bray- Clark (nclark4@lsu.edu)
• Maine
  Winners: Barbara Judge and Marilyn Philbrook, Harrison C. Lyseth Elementary School, Portland
  State Coordinator: Carolin Collins (ccollins@mainehistory.org)
• Maryland
  Winner: Charla Helmers, Dundalk Elementary School, Baltimore
  State Coordinator: Donna Olszewski (dolszewski@msde.state.md.us)
• Massachusetts
  Winner: Ann B. O’Halloran, Albert Angier Elementary School, Waban
  State Coordinator: Deborah Walker (djwalker@doe.mass.edu)
• Michigan
  Winner: Rena L. Heleniak, Galesburg-Augusta Intermediate School, Galesburg
  State Coordinator: Gordon Andrews (gandrews@portageps.org)
• Minnesota
  Winner: Mark Cotter, Eisenhower Elementary School, Coon Rapids
  State Coordinator: Michael Foster (michael.foster@state.mn.us)
• Mississippi
  State Coordinator: Chauncey Spears (CRSpears@mde.k12.ms.us)
• Missouri
  Winner: Lana Dicus, Tipton Elementary School, Tipton
  State Coordinator: William Gerling (bill.gerling@dese.mo.gov)
• Montana
  Winner: Peter T. Strand, Irving International School, Bozeman
  State Coordinator: John Gallagher (john.gallagher@bsd7.org)
• Nebraska
  Winner: Evelyn Johnson, Campbell Elementary School, Lincoln
  State Coordinator: Larry Starr (larry.starr@nde.ne.gov)
• Nevada
  Winner: Andrew Morss, Spanish Springs Elementary School, Sparks
  State Coordinator: Susan Davis (shdavis@washoe.k12.nv.us)
• New Hampshire
  Winner: Judith A. Harvey, Bernice A. Ray Elementary School, Hanover
  State Coordinator: John Krueckeberg (jkrueckeberg@plymouth.edu)
• New Jersey
  Winner: Dale Baumwoll, Randolph Middle School, Randolph
  State Coordinator: John Dougherty (john.dougherty@doe.state.nj.us)
• New Mexico
  Winner: Connie Marston Guy, Manzano Day School, Albuquerque
  State Coordinator: Denise Johnston (djohnston@sfps.info)
• New York
  Winner: Robert J. Alonso, Bay Avenue Elementary School, Patchogue
  State Coordinator: Gloria Sesso (gsesso@pmschools.org)
• North Carolina
  Winner: Suzanne M. Blaszak, Providence Spring Elementary School, Charlotte
  State Coordinator: Melissa Lara (mlara@dpi.state.nc.us)
• North Dakota
  Winner: Renae Weisenburger, West Elementary School, Grand Forks
  State Coordinator: Kimberly Porter (kimberly_porter@und.nodak.edu)
• Ohio
  Winner: Sharon E. Ricklic, York Elementary School, New Philadelphia
• Oklahoma
  Winner: Sandy Forrest, Cross Timbers Elementary School, Edmond
  State Coordinator: Kelly Curtright (kelly_curtright@sde.state.ok.us)
• Oregon
  Winner: Margaret Cowens, Manzanita Elementary School, Grants Pass
  State Coordinator: Andrea Morgan (andrea.morgan@state.or.us)
• Pennsylvania
  Winner: Robert C. Slamp, Elizabeth M. Carter and Iris S MacRae Elementary School, Lancaster
  State Coordinator: Jeffrey Zeiders (jzeiders@state.pa.us)
• Rhode Island
  Winner: Maureen Finneson, St. Philomena School, Portsmouth
  State Coordinator: Marie Parys (mparys@rihs.org)
• South Carolina
  State Coordinator: James Bryan (palmettoguard@sc.rr.com)
• South Dakota
  Winner: Jane Olson, Lincoln Elementary School, Watertown
  State Coordinator: Brenda Robertson (brenda.robertson@state.sd.us)
• Tennessee
  Winner: Kyla Krengel, W.A. Bass Middle School, Nashville
  State Coordinator: Rebecca Verner (rebecca.verner@mnps.org)
• Texas
  Winner: Marcia Looper, Valley Oaks Elementary School, Houston
  State Coordinator: Judy Brodigan (judybrodigan@hotmail.com)
• Utah
  Winner: Barbara Tippets, Majestic Elementary School, West Jordan
  State Coordinator: Robert Austin (robert.austin@schools.utah.gov)
• Vermont
  Winner: Linda S. Horn, Leicester Central School, Leicester
  State Coordinator: Mike Austin (Mike.Austin@castleton.edu)
• Virginia
  Winner: Susan V. Groundwater, Bennett Elementary School, Manassas
  State Coordinator: Betsy S. Barton (betsy.barton@doe.virginia.gov)
• Washington , DC
  Winner: Mary Jean Judd, Park View Elementary School
  State Coordinator: Jesse Nickelson (jesse.nickelson@dc.gov)
• Washington State
  Winner: Paula Cautrell, Sunrise Elementary School, Redmond
  State Coordinator: Caleb Perkins (Caleb.Perkins@k12.wa.us)
• West Virginia
  Winner: Lynette Swiger, Monongah Elementary School, Monongah
  State Coordinator: Regina Scotchie (escotchi@access.k12.wv.us)
• Wisconsin
  Winner: Cathie Ann Schmid Rohloff, Stockbridge Elementary School, Stockbridge
  State Coordinator: Walter Herscher (herscherw@aol.com)
• Wyoming
  Winner: Alice Kerns, Tongue River Elementary School, Ranchester
  State Coordinator: Sherry Tavegie (wga@uwyo.edu)
• U.S. Virgin Islands
  State Coordinator: Annie Smith (asmith1@sttj.k12.vi)
• U.S. Territories
  Territories Coordinator: Bernadette Eshima (eshimab@prel.org)
• Department of Defense Education Agency
  Winner: Jessica Buckley, Bitz Intermediate School, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
  State Coordinator: Dr. Mark Bignell (Mark.Bignell@hq.dodea.edu)

Awards
State winners will be announced and honored at local ceremonies. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History honors each state winner with an award of $1,000 and a “History Teacher of the Year” plaque in a ceremony in their home state. The Institute also presents their school with an archive of educational resources, named in honor of that teacher, for use in the school library or resource center. Winners are selected in each state by panels of distinguished history educators under the supervision of the Gilder Lehrman Institute and Preserve America.

The National History Teacher of the Year is selected from the 50+ state winners, (including the District of Columbia, Department of Defense and U.S. Territories) by a panel of prominent historians. The 2008 national winner will be honored in early fall, in Washington, DC or New York City. The winner, together with the nominating supervisor, will travel to the national recognition ceremony with expenses paid by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Submitting Nominations
Any questions about eligibility or procedures should be addressed to the state coordinators or the coordinator at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History:

Whitney Moses
Email: moses@gilderlehrman.org

For more information about Preserve America, please visit http://www.preserveamerica.gov


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