LITTLE ROCK — The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Preserve America have named Sonja Williams as 2012 Arkansas History Teacher of the Year, the state Department of Education announced Thursday.
Williams, a teacher of U.S. history at Hall High School in Little Rock, will receive $1,000 and the opportunity to further her studies at a summer teaching institute, the department said.
A collection of history books will be presented to Hall High’s library in her honor, education officials added.
“We’re thrilled to share this news,” Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell said. “Bringing history to life for students is a remarkable talent, and Sonja Williams has clearly demonstrated she is a gifted educator.”
Williams was cited for her encouragement of students’ critical-thinking skills by leading frequent discussions and by giving writing assignments that promote interpretation and analysis.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, founded in 1994, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving of history education.
Preserve America, a federal partnership program started in 2003, is led by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.