Southern Garrett Middle School’s Ms. Michele Bingham has been awarded the 2024 History Day District Teacher of the Year for Garrett County! This award comes with a plaque and a $50 cash prize. Her achievement will be celebrated at the 2024 Maryland History Day Award Ceremony on May 4th, 2024, at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
“As a National History Day teacher, my goal is to equip our students with the skills necessary to become successful historical detectives,” said Ms. Bingham. “The program teaches them how to conduct research, distinguish between primary and secondary sources, understand and create annotated bibliographies, write at an advanced level, develop original historical conclusions, present a counterclaim, and showcase their work in a creative form that aligns with the current year’s theme. These skills, honed through the rigorous process of National History Day, are both academic and practical, preparing our students for a future of critical thinking and effective communication.”
“National History Day is a way to build excitement about learning history. All of that being said, teaching students to become historical detectives takes a team. I was lucky to work this year with an amazing group of teachers at Southern Middle School who helped the students participate in this year’s contest. Without them, I would not have been as successful at building excitement for the students participating in National History Day.”
National History Day is a non-profit organization that started in 1974 with the aim of encouraging students to become more interested in history and develop important critical thinking skills. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the organization’s founding, which is a significant milestone.
If you’re interested in learning more about National History Day and the ways it promotes historical education and research, visit its website at www.nhd.org. You can also find NHD on your favorite social media platform to stay up to date with its latest news and events.
