by South Metro Standard

The new school year is already off to a great start at Moore High School, with national recognition of one of its teachers. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has named Julie Berryhill its 2024 Oklahoma History Teacher of the Year, one of 53 national honorees.

In addition to teaching U.S. history, Berryhill is Moore High School’s social studies department chair. Now in her 14th year, she has also taught psychology and sociology.

“I really enjoyed teaching the social sciences, but my true goals and passion have always been for U.S. history,” said Berryhill. “I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a small child. 

“My mom has a VHS tape of me in kindergarten saying I wanted to be a teacher. I was consistently the kid in elementary school reading historical fiction because I love learning stories about our country’s origins and the different paths people have taken in our nation’s history.”

Berryhill recently completed her master’s degree at Gettysburg College in American history. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary social sciences education from Oklahoma Baptist University. David Burton, Moore Public Schools social studies curriculum coordinator, nominated Berryhill for the prestigious award. 

Selected teachers may only receive the award once in their career.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a nonprofit organization that works to further continuing education for K–12 teachers. Its mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. The Gilder Lehrman Collection is considered one of the most extensive archives in American history, with more than 85,000 documents and a network of historians to further public knowledge. 

Each year, the Institute’s professionals evaluate nominations from each state, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and Department of Defense schools, to select 53 merit honorees. Each honoree receives a $1,000 honorarium, a core archive of American history books and curated educational materials. All finalists are eligible for the Institute’s 2024 History Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced later this fall. The national winner is awarded a $10,000 prize and invited to a ceremony in October at New York’s Harvard Club.

Berryhill, who graduated from Tuttle High School, sees the prize as the culmination of her mentor teachers’ work, in addition to others throughout her life who have led by example. 

“Good history teachers in high school made all the difference for me. They help students see history as not just dates and facts, but the larger story and how it can impact us today,” said Berryhill. “I enjoy now sharing that with my students, showing the next generation how history impacts them and our world, with positive and negative ramifications. I have just had some amazing people who have gone before me and shown me how to do things, teachers who have loved their professions and showed me how to do the job well. 

“Thank you to all in our community who support local teachers.”

Find out more about The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History at gilderlehrman.org.