Lafayette High School’s Marisa Atkinson nominated for National History Teacher of the Year award

Published 9:10 am Tuesday, March 24, 2020

A Lafayette High School Teacher could soon be named the nation’s best history teacher.

The Lafayette County School District announced on Monday that Marisa Atkinson was nominated for the Hannah E. MacGregor Teacher of the Year award. The award is sponsored by former National History Day Board of Trustees president, Dr. James F. Harris, in honor of his late sister, and is awarded to one high school teacher every year.

Each of the 58 National History Day affiliates may nominate one high school teacher for the MacGregor award, and Atkinson is a nominee in Mississippi’s senior division. Every nominee for the $10,000 award is a teacher who demonstrates a commitment to engaging students in history learning through innovative use o primary sources, implementation of active learning strategies to foster historical thinking skills, and participation in the National History Day contest. Each nominee receives $500 for earning a nomination.

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“Teachers are among the greatest resources students have to develop the skills necessary to become critical thinkers,” said National History Day executive director Dr. Cathy Gorn. “The nominees for the MacGregor Award have shown a dedication to teaching that goes beyond the classroom. I congratulate Mrs. Atkinson on her well-deserved nomination.”

Nominees’ work must clearly illustrate the development and use of creative teaching methods that interest students in history, and help them make exciting discoveries about the past.

The recipient of this year’s MacGregor award will be selected by a committee of experienced teachers and historians, and will be announced on June 18 at the National History Day National Contest Awards Ceremony at the University of Maryland.