National Social Studies Conference Honors Excellence in Teaching and Research

SILVER SPRING, Md. (Dec. 1, 2023) – National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is pleased to announce its award-winning social studies educators and researchers for 2023, each of whom were honored today by President Wesley Hedgepeth at the opening ceremony of the 103rd NCSS Annual Conference in Nashville.

NCSS Outstanding Teachers of the Year were awarded to educators for demonstrating exceptional ability as a social studies teacher. Teresa Roets from Thornell Road Elementary School in Pittsford, NY, received the Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award. CherylAnne Amendola from Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, NJ, received the Middle Level Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award. Andrew Budris from Bellport High School in Brookhaven, NY, received the Secondary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award. 
 

Dr. Brittany Jones from the University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, received the Exemplary Research in Social Studies Award, for single study research in social studies, “Feeling Fear as Power and Oppression: An Examination of Black and White Fear in Virginia’s U.S. History Standards and Curriculum Framework”.

Dr. Joanna Batt from the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX, received the Larry Metcalf Exemplary Dissertation Award for her research titled, ”Looking Back to the Future: Young Women Recall and Re-envision High School History Class”.

Dr. Keith Barton from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, received the Jean Dresden Grambs Distinguished Career Research in the Social Studies Award. Dr. Barton was honored for his extensive, meritorious contributions to the body of knowledge on important issues in social studies education.

Tiya Shaw from Spotsylvania County Public Schools in Fredericksburg, VA, and Lillian Brown from Portsmouth Public Schools in Portsmouth, VA, received the Grant for Enhancement of Geographic Literacy (sponsored by GENIP, the Geography Education National Implementation Project) for their exemplary program of geographic education that enhances geographic literacy titled, “Get Lit with Geo-Literacy: Virginia Geographic Alliance GeoExplorer Institute”.

“Congratulations to this year's NCSS award winners for their exceptional contributions to social studies education. Your unwavering commitment and dedication have made a profound impact, setting a remarkable standard in our field. Your resolute endeavors have not gone unnoticed, and we are incredibly proud of your accomplishments. You all are an inspiration to us, and we are grateful for the opportunity to honor you.,” said Wesley Hedgepeth, NCSS president.

“Our entire social studies education community is humbled by the achievements and lifetime of dedicated professional service from this year’s award winners. We honor your excellence and celebrate your commitment to realizing our vision of a world in which all learners are prepared for lifelong inquiry and informed civic action. Congratulations to all of our award winners - you represent the strength of our profession and inspire us all,” said Dr. Lawrence Paska, NCSS executive director.
 

NCSS awards educators each year at its Annual Conference for excellence in social studies education. For more information on NCSS awards and recognition programs, please visit: www.socialstudies.org/awards-and-grants.
 

The NCSS Annual Conference is the largest and most comprehensive social studies professional development conference in the United States, where social studies educators share, interact, develop ideas, and enhance their skills. This year’s theme, “Social Studies: Working in Harmony for a Better Tomorrow,” offers more than 500 content-rich sessions covering all subjects and grade levels, a lineup of renowned speakers and education experts, and numerous exhibiting organizations displaying the latest in educational resources. For more information visit: www.socialstudies.org/conference.
 

Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) is the largest professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. Its mission is to provide leadership, service, and support for all educators. The NCSS membership represents K-12 classroom teachers, college and university faculty members, curriculum designers and specialists, social studies supervisors, and leaders in the various disciplines that constitute the social studies.
 

For More Information:

Joy D. Lindsey 

Deputy Executive Director
301.850.7458

jlindsey@ncss.org