The
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and
Preserve America announce the 2007 History Teacher
of the Year.
First Lady Laura Bush presented
the fourth annual Preserve America History Teacher
of the Year award to Maureen Festi, a fifth grade
teacher at Stafford Elementary School in Stafford
Springs, Connecticut, in a ceremony that took place
at the Museum of the City of New York on November
16, 2007.
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Watch
Video
See 2007 History Teacher of the Year winner
Maureen Festi's speech at the award ceremony
on November 16, 2007. Windows Media Player is required
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here for a pdf (printable) version of
Ms. Festi's speech
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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)
Newsday
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.
Second Round: Additional Materials
for Consideration
From this pool of first round nominations, the state
coordinators will select up to five finalists who
will be asked to submit additional materials. These
include:
- 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 Current 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 Coordinators: Linda Mehlbrech (lmehlbrech@lbusd.k12.ca.us)
and
Jack Bareilles (jbareilles@nohom.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
State Coordinator: Roger Beckett (rbeckett@ashland.edu)
- 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:
Sarah Morgan
Email: morgan@gilderlehrman.org
For more information about Preserve
America, please visit http://www.preserveamerica.gov.
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