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JACKSON CREEK ELEMENTARY TEACHER IS FINALIST FOR NATIONAL HISTORY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

9/3/2021

Saudah Collins, an African Studies teacher at Jackson Creek Elementary School in Richland School District Two, is a finalist for 2021 National History Teacher of the Year. This award is presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education.

Amidst a very competitive field, Collins rose to the top in South Carolina and is now in the top 10 competing for the $10,000 National History Teacher of the Year Award. 

She recently told the Gilder Lehrman Institute that she enjoys visiting new places and bringing those experiences to her classroom. “One of my most fascinating recent historical site visits was to Mayesville, South Carolina, the birthplace of Mary McCleod Bethune. The artifacts are well preserved and the staff and family members are knowledgeable and welcoming. Another museum which had a profound impact during and after my visit was the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre in Accra, Ghana. I visited the Du Bois Centre during the summer of 2018,” said Collins.

Collins is a graduate of the University of South Carolina (UofSC) where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood, a Master of Education in Early Childhood and is a Doctoral Candidate in the Teaching and Learning program. She is an adjunct instructor for the UofSC, teaching early childhood courses focused on mathematics, science, and social studies as well as family dynamics. She has co-authored several professional publications, including a recent article in The Social Studies Journal. In 2004, Collins was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.  

This award highlights the importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The national winner will be announced later this month.