Press Release
September 9, 2020
Contact: Steve Hawkins
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0754
shawkins@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center Nominee Named Gilder Lehrman Oklahoma History Teacher of the Year
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma History Center partners annually with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History by presenting the Oklahoma History Teacher of the Year award to the state winner. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K–12 American history education. Jill Markman of Norman High School has been named its 2020 Oklahoma History Teacher of the Year.
Jill Markman has more than 10 years of teaching experience and holds degrees in history from the University of Oklahoma. Her passion for teaching history is matched by her efforts to instill civic leadership in her students. She recently initiated a YMCA Youth and Government program and a Social Studies Honor Society at Norman High School, allowing students to actively practice civic responsibility.
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Norman High School will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials. “What impressed me the most about Ms. Markman were the projects she assigns her students,” said Carrie Fox, state coordinator for the Gilder Lehrman National History Teacher of the Year Competition. “She follows the best practices of teaching, such as incorporating other disciplines and connecting the past to student experiences. Her lessons are so interesting and engaging—I wanted to take her class!”
Nominations for the 2021 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues and supervisors may nominate K–12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2021 nominations is March 31, 2021.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and various resources.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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