ROGERS - A social-studies teacher at Heritage High School will receive the state honor for American history from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
This month, Wayne Levering was notified that he is Arkansas’ candidate for the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American History contest. Levering will be honored during the state meeting in March, said Gretchen Magee, regent of the Lovely Purchase chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Levering was a good candidate because of his military connection, continued interest in learning and projects that he has done with students, Magee said. Documentation on a classroom constitution, sidewalk timeline, legislative internship program and flag painting projects completed while a teacher in 2008-10 at Arkansas School for the Deaf were part of his application.
The society’s contest honors teachers of American history and related fields in public, private and parochial schools, grades 6-12, at the chapter, stateand national levels.
Levering began teaching at Heritage in fall 2010. He teaches English-as-a-second-language American government, American history and human relations, and is chairman of the arts and communication academy at the school, according to his application.
Before he became a teacher six years ago, Levering was a civilian contractor working in accounting with the Department of Defense.
Extensive documentation was required for the teacher award, Magee said. Levering submitted a 20-page application. Not every candidate is up for that challenge.
History, in Levering’s case, was a strong motivation to finish the application, Magee said.
He grew up in Philadelphia visiting Independence Hall. His father’s family came to the United States with William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania.
Becoming a history teacher,although it wasn’t his first career, was a natural fit, Levering said.
The people who live in history books are just like everyone else, he said.
“It just so happens that their story is in a book,” he said.
His favorite period of history is the Revolutionary War, but his students relate to the stories of the Civil Rights era, Levering said.
The challenge as a teacher for students learning English as a second language is that there are varying degrees of background in American history. Some may not know who George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Abraham Lincoln are, Levering said. He said hopes to help students make a personal connection with the stories of the past because they will shape the future.
“History really is just a story. It’s a collection of stories,” he said. “Their part of the story is added to it.”
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 12/28/2013