Hoppe named 2019 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year
By Patrick Lynn
A SPASH history teacher has been honored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Dan Hoppe last week was named 2019 Wisconsin History Teacher of the Year by the organization. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education.
Hoppe teaches advanced placement classes at Stevens Point Area Senior High, including AP U.S. History, AP U.S. Government and Politics, and AP Comparative Government. He is a 1999 graduate of UW-Madison, earned his master’s degree in education from the UW-Stevens Point in 2010, and has been teaching in the Stevens Point Area Public School District since 2002.
“Dan has a passion for bringing history alive in his classroom and infuses his lessons with local stories, influential people, and events to help students make stronger historical connections to the area where they live,” a news release from the institute reads in part.
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, SPASH will receive a “core archive” of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials, the release said.
Hoppe is also in the running for National History Teacher of the Year, which is chosen from the pool of state winners in the fall.
Hoppe is an advocate for the social studies, as a board member for the Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies and the Portage County Historical Society. He also serves as the advisor for the SPASH Student Senate, volunteers as a coach for basketball and track, and serves on the Stevens Point Plan Commission.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, lifelong supporters of American history education. The institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. Its programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges.
Nominations for the 2020 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 2019 nominations is March 31, 2020.
