June 9, 2016

LaMoure Public School Teacher Named 2016 North Dakota History Teacher of the Year
 

BISMARCK —  Kelli Isaacson, a high school teacher at LaMoure Public School, has been named the 2016 North Dakota History Teacher of the Year.  The award is sponsored by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.  The North Dakota History Teacher of the Year Award is organized by Neil Howe, North Dakota Studies program coordinator at the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND). 
 
Started in 2004, 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 exceptional K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. Territories.

The 2016 award honors secondary school teachers.  The selection of the state winner is based upon several criteria, including: at least three years of classroom experience in teaching American history; a demonstrated commitment to teaching American history (including state and local history); evidence of creativity and imagination in the classroom; and effective use of documents, artifacts, historic sites, oral histories, and other primary resources to engage students with American history.
 
A “National History Teacher of the Year” will be selected from this list of state winners and honored at a ceremony in New York City. Past presenters at the ceremony include First Lady Laura Bush, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
 
Isaacson received her bachelor’s degree at North Dakota State University in 2002 and completed her master’s degree in education leadership from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2008. Her passion for history is exhibited in the classroom each day.  “I must create lessons to guide students to discover the answers to the big questions about history," Isaacson said.  "Through discovery, students will find these answers, creating confidence in themselves and history.”
 
Isaacson will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the LaMoure Public School library will receive a core archive of history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. She will also receive an invitation to a 2017 Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminar, a weeklong program which offers teachers daily discussions with eminent historians, visits to historic sites, and hands-on work with primary sources.
 
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a New York–based national nonprofit devoted to the teaching and learning of American history. Gilder Lehrman draws on top scholars, an unparalleled collection of original historical documents, and a national network of Affiliate Schools to create and provide a broad range of innovative resources, help new generations of students learn about American history in a way that is engaging and memorable, and promote critical thinking and excellent writing. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment of the Humanities, and the Organization of American Historians.
 
For more information, contact North Dakota Studies program coordinator Neil Howe at 701.205.7802 or email at nhowe@nd.gov.
 

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CONTACT
Contact: Neil Howe, 701.205.7802

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