Emmet Quinn Named 2021 Vermont History Teacher of the Year
St. Johnsbury Academy’s Emmet Quinn has been named the 2021 State History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education.
In 2021, parents, students, teachers, and administrators nationwide nominated a record 8,510 teachers for the History Teacher of the Year Award.
Inaugurated 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 K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories. In fall 2021, the National History Teacher of the Year will be selected from the pool of state winners.
“This is a singular honor for Emmet, and by extension for us—it speaks to the level of teaching he brings to SJA, and we congratulate him heartily,” said Headmaster Dr. Sharon Howell.
David Eckhardt, the Social Studies Department Chair at St. Johnsbury Academy, said, “Emmet is most deserving of this award. His classes are alive with purposeful inquiry, and the resources of Gilder Lehrman Institute have supported his masterful approach to United States History. The honor bestowed upon Emmet shines on all of us at St. Johnsbury Academy.”
In explaining SJA’s relationship with the Gilder Lehrman Institute, Eckhardt continues, “We have been an affiliate school for nearly a decade (nine years), and this partnership has greatly enhanced all of our US History classes. Emmet’s students frequently analyze Gilder Lehrman’s primary sources to understand events in US History. We are one of a handful of high schools across the state who are Gilder Lehrman affiliate schools. In addition to primary and secondary sources, the Institute provides excellent professional development and scholarly articles.”
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, St. Johnsbury Academy will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials and recognition at a ceremony in STATE.
Nominations for the 2022 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2022 nominations is March 31, 2022.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The Institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.
At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. Drawing on the 70,000 documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and an extensive network of eminent historians, the Institute provides teachers, students, and the general public with direct access to unique primary source materials.
