FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 18, 2012) — Ron Adkisson, an eighth-grade teacher of U.S. history at South Oldham Middle School in Crestwood, has been named the 2012 Kentucky History Teacher of the Year. The award is co-sponsored by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, HISTORY and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on behalf of its Preserve America program.
Adkisson will receive a $1,000 honorarium and will be in the running to be named the 2012 National History Teacher of the Year this fall. South Oldham Middle School’s library will receive a core archive of history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and HISTORY. Adkisson also will be invited to a 2013 Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminar, and South Oldham Middle School will be named a Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School.
Kent Whitworth, KHS executive director, and Stuart Sanders, KHS teacher professional services administrator, will be on hand to honor Adkisson at the Oldham County Board of Education meeting, Sept. 24 at Camden Station Elementary.
Adkisson began his career at Oil Springs Elementary School in Paintsville and has taught at Oldham South Middle School for the past 23 years. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of the Cumberlands and a master’s degree from the University of Louisville. This award comes in addition to several honors Adkisson has received at the school and state level throughout his teaching career.
“It is my greatest desire to create a classroom environment that is so awe-inspiring and engaging that the students will absolutely refuse to be absent for fear of missing something,” Adkisson said.
The National History Teacher of the Year Award promotes and celebrates the teaching of American history in classrooms across the United States. The award honors one exceptional K-12 teacher of American history from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and U.S. territories.
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