Matthew Vriesman Receives the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year Award

On October 24, the Gilder Lehrman Institute honored Matthew Vriesman of East Kentwood High School, Michigan, as the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year. Students, teachers, past national winners, and friends of the Institute gathered to celebrate 20 years of the award.

Deborah Roberts, ABC News, 20/20 Co-Host and Senior National Affairs Correspondent, presented the award to this year's honoree. 

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.

Nominations for the 2024 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K−12 teachers for the award here.