Kim Belknap Named Mount Vernon’s 2018 History Teacher of the Year

MOUNT VERNON, VA – George Washington’s Mount Vernon has named Kim Belknap, a history teacher Herndon High School in Herndon, Virginia, as its 2018 History Teacher of the Year. Belknap will receive a $5,000 prize and an all-expense paid trip to George Washington’s Mount Vernon for up to 100 students and 10 chaperones. Now in its 11th year, this special award celebrates educators dedicated and passionate about teaching history.

“It is an honor to share this award with Kim Belknap this year,” said Mount Vernon’s vice president for education Allison Wickens. “As a teacher, she empowers her students to dig deep into historical content. She has also demonstrated clear success as a leader in her professional community by mentoring and training other teachers so that her expertise transcends her classroom.”

Belknap has 24 years’ experience as a history teacher and currently teaches Virginia and U.S. History and Honors and Advanced Placement U.S. History at Herndon High School. She mentors teachers new to the school district as a Great Beginnings Teacher Mentor for Fairfax County Public Schools and serves as an AP United States History Exam Reader.

A colleague wrote of Belknap’s work: “Kim does a phenomenal job of creating a learning environment where students learn not only historical content, but also the skills needed to read, think, discuss, and write as historians, so that students can actively process and make sense of the content.”

Mount Vernon has selected Theresa Early, a special education teacher at Laurel Ridge Elementary School in Fairfax, Virginia, as its runner up for the History Teacher of the Year award. Early will receive tickets to George Washington’s Mount Vernon for up to 50 students and 5 chaperones.

For more information, please visit mountvernon.org/teacheroftheyear.  

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