June 15, 2023, College Park, MD–On Thursday, June 15, National History Day® (NHD) awarded Mrs. Sarah Razee at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, the 2023 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year for the Senior Division. Each of the 58 National History Day Affiliates may nominate one high school and one middle school teacher for this award.
This award comes with a $10,000 cash prize in addition to the prestige of winning an internationally competitive award that recognizes social studies educators who demonstrate creative teaching methods that engage students in history and help them make exciting discoveries about the past.
Selected by a committee of experienced teachers and historians, Mrs. Razee was recognized for her passion for the NHD program by the Hawaiʻi History Day Affiliate Coordinator, Devin Makizuru.
“Sarah’s ability for teaching is reflected in her students’ work. Throughout the time she has been doing History Day, Sarah has had over 45 projects, with even more students, going on to the NHD National Contest. But to Sarah, what is most valuable is for her students’ work to live beyond the competition, and she hopes that students can find authentic audiences that can connect to their History Day projects. Sarah encourages students to do projects on topics that are both locally connected and have a personal connection with the student. We are truly inspired by her passion and dedication.”
“Mrs. Razee is a teacher leader. She adapts her lessons to meet the needs of her students with a goal of building historical empathy,” shares NHD Executive Director Cathy Gorn. “I am very proud to award Sarah Razee the Patricia Behring Award this year.”
About National History Day® (NHD)
NHD is a non-profit organization based in College Park, Maryland, that seeks to improve the teaching and learning of history. The National History Day Contest was established in 1974 and currently engages more than half a million students every year in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Students present their research as a documentary, exhibit, paper, performance, or website. Projects compete first at the local and affiliate levels, where the top entries are invited to the National Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park. NHD is sponsored in part by HISTORY®, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Park Service, The Better Angels Society, and the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation. For more information, visit nhd.org.
About National History Day in Hawaiʻi
Hawai‘i History Day, a state affiliate of National History Day (NHD), is a year-long history education program that invigorates the teaching and learning of history in grades 4-12. It promotes a theme-based, research-centered model for history and civics education. Students present their projects in an exhibit, performance, documentary, essay, or website project. In 2019 Hawaiʻi History Day also began building an Indigenous language NHD contest, and students can now do their History Day projects in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). Hawaiʻi History Day culminates in the presentation and evaluation of these projects at school, district, state and national history days.
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Media contact: programs@nhd.org
