The Gilder Lehrman Institute Names Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason as 2024 National History Teacher of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Virginia educator will be awarded a $10,000 grand prize at a special ceremony held at the Harvard Club in New York City

NEW YORK – Sept. 19, 2024 – The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History proudly announces Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, an educator at Riverbend High School in Fredericksburg, Va., as the 2024 National History Teacher of the Year. The History Teacher of the Year award program celebrates exceptional elementary, middle and high school teachers for their outstanding contributions to American history education.

Lamb-Cason will receive a $10,000 grand prize at a special ceremony on Oct. 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. The ceremony will be recorded and made available to viewers nationwide.

Since 2004, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 American history education, annually recognizes one exemplary K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and United States Territories as a state winner. From this distinguished group of 53 nominees, the Institute selects one national winner who epitomizes excellence in American history education.

“We are thrilled to honor and celebrate Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason as the 2024 National History Teacher of the Year,” says James G. Basker, President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute. “Her passion for history and unwavering dedication to her students are truly inspiring and will undoubtedly help shape a brighter future.”

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."

For a complete list of the 2024 state winners, please see below or visit this page.

  1. Alabama: Mindy Walker, Holt High School

  2. Alaska: Stephanie Meek, West Anchorage High School

  3. Arizona: Ashley Crose, Saguaro High School

  4. Arkansas: Jessica Culver, Ozark High School

  5. California: Katherine Orenberg, Pleasanton Middle School

  6. Colorado: Odette Edbrooke, Broomfield High School

  7. Connecticut: Rhonan Mokriski, Salisbury School

  8. Delaware: Anthony Swierzbinski, John Dickinson School

  9. District of Columbia: Adrienne Glasgow, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

  10. DoDEA: Rachel Billups, Robert D. Edgren High School

  11. Florida: Nayyat Bogosyan, Spanish River Community High School

  12. Georgia: Amanda Fanelli, Sol C. Johnson High School

  13. Hawaii: Shiloh Francis, Hawaii Technology Academy - PCS

  14. Idaho: Kelly Richmond, North Junior High School

  15. Illinois: Danielle Hegerty, Grayslake Central High School

  16. Indiana: Jeffrey Swisher, Griffith High School

  17. Iowa: Catherine Mein, Ballard High School

  18. Kansas: Kimberly Gilman, Hocker Grove Middle School

  19. Kentucky: Kendrick Bryan, Larue County High School

  20. Louisiana: Emmitt Glynn, Baton Rouge Magnet High School

  21. Maine: Jessica Graham, Waterville Senior High School

  22. Maryland: Emma Harris, Westminster East Middle School

  23. Massachusetts: Darcy Daniels, Nipmuc Regional High School

  24. Michigan: Jessica Wood, Arbor Preparatory High School

  25. Minnesota: Grace Díaz, Valley View Middle School

  26. Mississippi: Michelle Rafach, Pearl River Central High School

  27. Missouri: Jessica Barnes, St. Clair Junior High School

  28. Montana: April Wills, Bainville School

  29. Nebraska: Nathan Kackmeister, Crawford Public Schools

  30. Nevada: Amanda Laca, Carson Valley Middle School

  31. New Hampshire: Valerie Wolfson, Oyster River Middle School

  32. New Jersey: Jazmin Puicon, Bard Early College High School

  33. New Mexico: Stacy Cooley, La Cueva High School

  34. New York: Elizabeth Haynes, Cleveland Hill Middle School

  35. North Carolina: Colin Richardson, Green Hope High School

  36. North Dakota: Melissa Evensen, Fargo North High School

  37. Ohio: Andy Klinker, Piketon Junior/Senior High School

  38. Oklahoma: Julie Berryhill, Moore High School

  39. Oregon: Alyson Battistel, Milwaukie High School, Academy of the Arts

  40. Pennsylvania: Joseph Daniels II, Westtown School

  41. Rhode Island: Maeve Kennedy, Ponaganset High School

  42. South Carolina: Sarah Kelly, Carolina Springs Middle School

  43. South Dakota: Erik Iverson, Stevens High School

  44. Tennessee: Alex Oldham, Maryville High School

  45. Texas: Lorraine Dumerer, R. L. Turner High School

  46. U.S. Territories: Antonio Prieto Colón, Colegio San Antonio Abad

  47. Utah: Amanda Eskeets, Centennial Middle School

  48. Vermont: Ron Eisenman, Rutland High School

  49. Virginia: Wunneanatsu Lamb-Cason, Riverbend High School

  50. Washington: Barbara Bromley, Hazelwood Elementary School

  51. West Virginia: Brian Casto, Milton Middle School

  52. Wisconsin: Gina Rollins, Cuba City Middle School

  53. Wyoming: Paula Volker, Kelly Walsh High School


About The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. The Institute’s mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. Drawing on the 86,000 documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and an extensive network of eminent historians, the Institute provides teachers, students, and the general public with access to unique primary source materials.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the Council of Independent Colleges, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Learn more at gilderlehrman.org.