IHC Outstanding Humanities Educator Award
BOISE, April 28, 2024 – Three K-12 teachers have received 2024 Outstanding Humanities Educator Awards in honor of their contributions to humanities education in the State of Idaho by the Idaho Humanities Council (IHC). Revived this year after a decade-long hiatus, the Outstanding Humanities Educator Award is given annually by the organization to recognize excellence in the field throughout the Gem State.
IHC solicited public nominations for three different categories based on grade levels taught (K-5th, 6-8th, 9-12th). Each winner receives a $1,500 cash award in recognition of their achievements. Winners will be honored at ceremonies hosted by their schools in the months of April and May.
“IHC is thrilled to bring back a tradition that acknowledges the important contributions being made within our K-12 classrooms, and we received many excellent nominations and applications for this honor throughout the state,” said IHC Director of Programs Johanna Bringhurst. “We are honored to acknowledge the achievements of our finalists this year with the 2024 Outstanding Humanities Educator Award.”
The winners of the 2024 Outstanding Humanities Educator Award are as follows:
K-5th: Annika Berry, Pioneer Montessori School, Ketchum
Annika Berry has served as Lead Guide of the Lower Elementary classroom at Pioneer Montessori School since 2020. Lovingly referred to as Miss Annika, she nurtures a classroom community of personal choice, openness of expression, and adventurous, immersive learning experiences. Berry recently noted how “the students each bring a unique vibrancy to the community and I never know what will unfold each day.”
6-8th: Raul Pedraza, Vallivue Middle School, Caldwell
Named Vallivue Teacher of the Year in 2023, Raul Pedraza believes that a history curriculum is made up of many great stories. Pedraza helps Latine students connect with their cultural heritage by emphasizing the ancient Mesoamerican cultures and drawing parallels to some of his other favorite topics including George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware to the great Renaissance thinkers such as Shakespeare and Leonardo da Vinci. Pedraza highlights stories connected to the Incas that engineered Machu Piccu in Peru, the Mayas and the invention of the number zero, and the Aztecs, which allows students to make a personal/cultural connection with history while making connections with others in the room.
9-12th: Josh Udesen, Riverstone International School, Boise
For over twenty years, Josh Udesen has found that his world religions course is an ideal platform for encouraging curiosity about the variety of expression of the human spirit and teaching students about the value of our differences. Udesen states, “From the devout believer to the skeptical humanist, we all have questions about the world beyond ourselves. Where we come from, what is the meaning of it all, what happens to us, what is right, what is wrong, why certain things happen and students suddenly realize there are no easy answers.”
The Idaho Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities define “the humanities” to include history, literature, philosophy, jurisprudence, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, art history and criticism, music history and other interpretive disciplines that through study yield wisdom.each spring: one in K-5th, one in 6-8th, and one in 9-12th grades. Each teacher will be awarded a cash prize of $1,500 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to humanities education in Idaho.
What is the Outstanding Humanities Educator award?
The Idaho Humanities Council values the important work of K-12 humanities educators across our state! This award is awarded annually to three teachers in grades K-5th, 6-8th, and one in 9-12th grades. Administrators, colleagues, parents, and former students are invited to nominate an outstanding teacher in their community! Nominations are solicited in January and February . All nominated teachers will be contacted directly by the IHC with an invitation to be considered for this award. Teachers who do not meet the award criteria will not be considered.
Award Criteria:
- Educator must be teaching full time in a classroom in the current school year in Idaho.
- Educator must be licensed to teach in the state of Idaho.
- Educator must be teaching a humanities discipline.
- Educator must exemplify the guiding principles of the Idaho Humanities Council.
What are the humanities?
The Idaho Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities define “the humanities” to include history, literature, philosophy, jurisprudence, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, art history and criticism, music history and other interpretive disciplines that through study yield wisdom.
Why are the humanities important?
It is through the study of these disciplines that we gain knowledge and understanding—in a word, wisdom. In the founding legislation for the NEH in 1965, Congress stressed that “Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.” The humanities are a vehicle to understanding the human experience—the diverse history, traditions, and cultures of the world. It is only through this quest for understanding that we cultivate the wisdom and vision that democracy demands.
Who Is the Idaho Humanities Council?
The IHC is dedicated to serving Idaho citizens by promoting greater public awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities. The Council accomplishes its mission by awarding grants to organizations statewide, and by working with organizations as partners to develop local humanities projects and programs, and by sponsoring its own Council-conducted programs, such as summer institutes in the humanities for K-12 teachers, library reading/discussion programs in small communities, traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian Institution, a Humanities Speakers Bureau, Distinguished Humanities Lectures, and other projects and programs limited only by the imagination.
Our Guiding Principles:
- We believe that the humanities should be open, accessible, and welcoming to all Idahoans.
- We believe that every story contributes to a deeper understanding of being human.
- We believe that respectful communication provides opportunities to learn new perspectives.
- We believe that curiosity about the variety of expressions of the human spirit teaches us the value of our differences.
For questions or more information on this year's Outstanding Educator Award, please contact Director of Programs Johanna Bringhurst at johanna@idahohumanities.org.