2022 State History Teachers of the Year Announced

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is proud to announce the 2022 State History Teachers of the Year.

Since 2004, 960 exemplary American history teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools in all fifty states, Department of Defense schools, Washington DC, and US territories have been named State History Teacher of the Year. Many have gone on to work with the Institute, many as master teachers for programs such as History School.

The History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories. In fall 2022, ten finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year will be announced.

In order to be considered for the award, eligible teachers must first be nominated by a colleague, parent, or student. After receiving a nomination, teachers must submit a resume, teaching materials, and a letter of recommendation to be considered for the state award. History Teacher of the Year winners are selected by a committee of educators and education professionals in their state. For more information on the award process, please review the requirements listed here.

The 2022 State History Teachers of the Year are

ALABAMA

Caitlin Halperin
Auburn High School
Auburn, AL

ALASKA

Perry Lewis
Eagle River High School
Eagle River, AK

ARIZONA

Ian McDougall
San Luis High School
San Luis, AZ

ARKANSAS

Brick Cullum
Conway High School
Conway, AR

CALIFORNIA

Jeni Boulanger
Oak Hills High School
Oak Hills, CA

COLORADO

Manuela Tari
Overland Trail Middle School
Brighton, CO

CONNECTICUT

Abigail Esposito
Conrad High School
West Hartford, CT

DELAWARE

John Thomas
Brandywine Springs School
Wilmington, DE

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DoDEA)

Tricia Surniak
Ansbach Middle High School
APO, AE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Lisa Rauschart
Georgetown Day School
Washington, DC

FLORIDA

Daniel Flint
Westside High School
Jacksonville, FL

GEORGIA

John Garner
Temple High School
Temple, GA

HAWAII

Misha Matsumoto Yee
St. Andrew’s Schools - The Priory
Honolulu, HI

IDAHO

Colin Donovan
Coeur d’Alene High School
Coeur d’Alene, ID

ILLINOIS

Samantha Stearns
Roosevelt Middle School
River Forest, IL

INDIANA

Kari Catanzaro
Maconaquah High School
Bunker Hill, IN

IOWA

Suzan Turner
Nashua-Plainfield High School
Nashua, IA

KANSAS

Lori Rice
West Elementary USD 320
Wamego, KS

KENTUCKY

Toni Gorrell
East Carter Middle School
Grayson, KY

LOUISIANA

Bernadette Fruge
Belle Place Middle School
New Iberia, LA

MAINE

Geoffrey Wingard
Bangor High School
Bangor, ME

MARYLAND

Lauren Merroth
South Hagerstown High School
Hagerstown, MD

MASSACHUSETTS

Adda Santos
Somerville High School
Somerville, MA

MICHIGAN

Adam Sakel
Airport High School
Carleton, MI

MINNESOTA

Ron Hustvedt
Salk STEM Middle School
Elk River, MN

MISSISSIPPI

Jenna Murphy
St. Joseph Catholic School
Madison, MS

MISSOURI

Jan Jacobi
The St. Michael School of Clayton
Saint Louis, MO

MONTANA

Jordann (Bright Trail Woman) Lankford
Great Falls Public Schools
Great Falls MT

NEBRASKA

Alise Pape
Lincoln East High School
Lincoln, NE

NEVADA

Emily Roberts
North Valleys High School
Reno, NV

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Mallory Langkau
Groveton High School
Groveton, NH

NEW JERSEY

Caroline Blanchard
West Essex High School
North Caldwell, NJ

NEW MEXICO

Dionelia “Martina” Gutierrez
Rio Rancho High School
Rio Ranch, NM

NEW YORK

Caitlin Goodwin
McGraw Jr. Sr. High School
McGraw, NY

NORTH CAROLINA

Kelly Dunbar
Charles D. Owen High School
Black Mountain, NC

NORTH DAKOTA

Elizabeth Carlson
Red River High School
Grand Forks, ND

OHIO

Lucas George
Franklin High School
Franklin, OH

OKLAHOMA

Emily Busey
Edmond Memorial High School
Edmond, OK

OREGON

Tyler Nice
Thurston High School
Springfield, OR

PENNSYLVANIA

Amy Palo
Cornell High School
Coraopolis, PA

RHODE ISLAND

Lawrence Verria
North Kingstown High School
North Kingstown, RI

SOUTH CAROLINA

Tracy Todd
Easley High School
Easley, SC

SOUTH DAKOTA

Justin Palmer
George S. Mickelson Middle School
Brookings, SD

TENNESSEE

Melissa Collins
John P. Freeman School
Memphis, TN

TEXAS

Elizabeth Howson
North Belton Middle School
Temple, TX

US TERRITORIES

Rachel Ale-Kersten
Leone High School (ASDOE)
Pago Pago, AS

UTAH

Ryan Mueller
Mount Logan Middle School
Logan, UT

VIRGINIA 

Edward “Chad” Ingold
Open High School
Richmond, VA

WASHINGTON

James Nau
Lakeside School
Seattle, WA

WEST VIRGINIA

Tommy Nester
Keyser Middle School
Keyser, WV

WISCONSIN

Kevin Podeweltz
Riverside Elementary School
Ringle, WI

WYOMING

Traci Schladweiler
Thunder Basin High School
Gillette, WY