FRANKFORT, KY (June 12, 2009)— Martha Elizabeth “Beth” Randolph, of Lexington, has been chosen as Kentucky’s 2009 History Teacher of the Year. The Kentucky award is administered by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) and sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Randolph, a graduate of the University of Kentucky (B.A. and M.A. in elementary education), has taught at the School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) since 1988. She is an active presenter of professional development programs for both new and in-service teachers, has received numerous teaching awards, and is a member of numerous professional organizations.
Randolph will receive a $1,000 prize and be in the running for the National History Teacher of the Year Award to be selected this fall. A core archive of history books and materials will be given to the SCAPA library, as well.
“All three judges commented on the difficulty of this decision due to the high caliber of applicants,” said Rebecca Hanly, administrator of KHS teacher and student outreach program. “Ultimately, Ms. Randolph’s active, hands-on classroom projects, in- and out-of-state field trips, and overall love of American history convinced the judges that she deserved this honor. One judge even noted, ‘I wish she was everyone’s fifth grade teacher.’”
Founded in 1994, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History promotes the study and love of American history. The Institute serves teachers, students, scholars, and the general public. It helps create history-centered schools, organizes seminars and programs for educators, produces print and electronic publications and traveling exhibitions, sponsors lectures by eminent historians, and administers a History Teacher of the Year Award in every state. The Institute maintains two Web sites, www.gilderlehrman.org and the quarterly online journal www.historynow.org.
For more information on the Kentucky History Teacher of the Year Award, contact Rebecca Hanly at 502-564-1792, ext. 4475, or Rebecca.Hanly@ky.gov.
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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present, and inspiration for the future. KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum, and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.