North Hills Educator Wins National Teaching Honor

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA - North Hills Middle School educator Joe Welch on Thursday was named the 2018 National History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

The award is present annually by the institute, which is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education. Welch was named Pennsylvania History Teacher of the Year by the organization this summer and announced as a Top 10 national finalist in August.

Welch, 33, an eighth grade social studies teacher, is the award’s youngest winner ever. He will be honored at a ceremony at the Yale Club in New York City on Oct. 10 and collect the award’s $10,000 prize.

“There are many facets of my teaching that I would like to continue to improve and partnerships I would like to explore, and the application process for this award has been both self-reflective and inspirational,” Welch said in a district release. “My goal is to continue to innovate in my classroom and to be a leader and advocate for social studies and history education, both in my state and nationwide.”

Since 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and U.S. territories.

“Joe Welch is a diligent educator who thoroughly realizes the difference that innovation and creativity in the classroom can bring to a child’s education and future,” district superintendent Patrick Mannarino said. “He makes American history come to life as he strives to instill a love of the content matter through engaging and technology-driven coursework and projects. We are ecstatic that he has been recognized on the national stage and honored to have such a dedicated and forward-thinking teacher in our district.”

Welch's students were recognized this year for their Building Bridges: Oral History to Connect Communities and Generations project. Welch, along with middle school English teacher Vicki Truchan, oversaw the student publishing of four volumes of community oral history narratives and student analysis that are now available for free on iBooks.

Welch has presented at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference on numerous occasions, as well as the National Council for the Social Studies annual conference and the Association for Middle Level Education national conference. He also has presented at state conferences, including the AIU's Social Studies Symposium and Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference.

Photo via North Hills School District.

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