Kari Hall, a teacher at Williston High School in Williston, has been named the 2012 North Dakota History Teacher of the Year. The award is sponsored by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, HISTORY®, and Preserve America. The North Dakota History Teacher of the Year Award is coordinated by Neil Howe, coordinator of the North Dakota Studies program at the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Hall has been teaching at Williston High School for 12 years. In receiving the award, Hall expressed an appreciation for teaching history. “When I chose a teaching career, history was a natural choice since I have always been interested in the story of people and places, events, and human struggles.”
According to Hall, “certain aspects of history are challenging to teach because of the struggle to make it relevant in the life of today’s teenager. I try to convey to my students that they are very much like other Americans who have stepped forward to lead against injustice, face tragedy, guide during crisis, or direct the way for innovation and prosperity. When teaching I tell personal stories, introduce primary sources, provide literary examples, or show relics to capture the student’s attention—and use this interaction as a catalyst in intensifying interest and knowledge.”
Hall will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the Williston High School library will receive a core archive of history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and HISTORY®. Hall will also receive an invitation to a 2013 Gilder Lehrman Summer Seminar, and Williston High School will be named a Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School.
The National History Teacher of the Year Award honors one exceptional K-12 teacher of American history from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories.
The 2012 award honors middle and high school teachers of seventh through twelfth grade. Selection is based upon 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; 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 named in a fall ceremony.
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