Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year Program

Nominations are open year round for the Massachusetts and National History Teacher of the Year programs to honor outstanding teachers of American history across the country. The Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year will automatically be the state's candidate for the National History Teacher of the Year award. The award is sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI).

We are seeking outstanding K–12 teachers who find creative ways to bring history alive in the classroom and in communities.

Teachers will be selected based on the following:

• At least three years of classroom experience;
• A demonstrated commitment to teaching American history;
• Evidence of creativity and innovation in the classroom; and
• Effective use of documents, artifacts, historic sites, oral histories, and other primary resources to engage students in American history.
• Self nominations are not accepted.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History will honor each statewide winner with an award of $1,000, a certificate of recognition, an invitation to attend a Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminar, and the opportunity for the winner's school to become a GLI Affiliate School. The Institute will also present the winner's school with a collection of American history classroom resources, given in honor of the state winner, for use in the school library or resource center.

To nominate a teacher and learn more about the award, visit the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History's website or contact the National History Teacher of the Year coordinator at nhtoy@gilderlehrman.org or 646-366-9666. You may also email the educator recognition mailbox at educatorrecognition@doe.mass.edu for more information.

2025 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year

Jenny Staysniak

History Teacher
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
Lincoln-Sudbury School District

Jenny Staysniak earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Fairfield University and a Master's of Arts in Teaching from Boston College. She has taught history for fourteen years and developed several original projects, including Voices of Activism, a student-led oral history initiative, and the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Interview Project. Jenny has received multiple teaching awards and was a finalist for the 2023 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year. She holds a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University, lives in Hudson, MA, and is the mother of three and the wife of Dr. Christopher Staysniak.

Former Massachusetts History Teachers of the Year

Last Updated: August 25, 2025