Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award

2013 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award

Amanda Hilliard Smith, a social studies teacher at Beaufort County Early College High School, was named North Carolina’s 2013 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year at the National History Day Competition (NHD) in Raleigh on Saturday, April 27.

“I am particularly excited about winning this award, because it reflects on the work that my students did in order to make it to the state level,” said Ms. Smith.  “I have enjoyed watching my students grow this year as they made discoveries through their research and developed a passion for history.”

Each year the state NHD selects a high school and middle school teacher, who use creative teaching methods to interest students in history and to help them make exciting discoveries about the past.  To be eligible for the award, Ms. Smith’s students had to qualify to compete at the regional and state level. Ms. Smith also had to submit an essay and a letter of recommendation from her Principal Emily Pake.

“Ms. Smith holds high expectations for her students and challenges them to become independent thinkers,” said Mrs. Pake. “Her passion for history has been felt by the entire school.”

At the end of the fall semester, Ms. Smith held a competition among her ninth grade world history classes to determine who would represent the school in the regional level. The students’ projects were judged by Laura Ketcham, the state coordinator for NHD; Dr. Chad Ross, the district coordinator for NHD; and Keith Lyon, Beaufort County Community College World History professor. 

At the regional level Brandi Brewer won second for her documentary on the Holocaust. Lovely Johnson won second place for her performance on the cotton gin’s effect on slavery.  Elizabeth Beacham won second for her exhibit on the Underground Railroad. Erica Modlin’s exhibit on Lewis Hine’s photography and Timothy Sutton’s exhibit on the Protestant Reformation tied for third place. These students all qualified to compete at the state level.

“I would not have been able to provide this experience for my students, if I did not have the support of my Principal Emily Pake and the Beaufort County School System,” said Ms. Smith. “I am also appreciative of Mr. Lyon who has been spending time after school helping Timothy research the Protestant Reformation.”

This is Ms. Smith’s first year a Beaufort County Early College High School.  She previously taught at Northside High School and the former Roanoke High School in Martin County. 

Ms. Smith will be in the running for the National Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year award that will be announced at the national competition in June.

http://www.beaufortccc.edu/news/PDF/Campus%20Connections/June%202013%20Campus%20Connections.pdf