Joseph Refinski, a teacher at East Orange STEM Academy, has been named the 2023 NJ History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K–12 American history education.
Inaugurated in 2004 and now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, the History Teacher of the Year award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and US Territories.
“Knowledgeable and impassioned teachers bring our country’s history to life for students, allowing them to understand that engaging with history is about more than a series of facts,” said James G. Basker, president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. “Teachers are the lifeblood of our students’ education, and these are the best of the best.”
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Refinskireceives a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials and recognition at a local ceremony in their honor, and becomes one of 53 finalists for the 2023 National History Teacher of the Year Award.
In 1976, Joe Refinski received his bachelor’s degree at Seton Hall University and in 1978 he completed a master’s degree in secondary education, also from Seton Hall University.
He will complete his second master’s degree in American History from Gettysburg College in summer 2023.
Refinski’s passion for history and experiential learning are combined in his classroom, and his students reap the benefits. He creates a classroom atmosphere in which history is directly correlated to students’ lives through undertaking hands-on projects, often with historic pieces he has acquired, such as artefacts from the World Trade Center, current events juxtaposed with historical context, recent scholarship as member of the New Jersey Council for History Education, analyzing community-based issues such as Project Citizen, understanding government documents, and taking students on history centered field trips, along with advising the Model United Nations Club.
This year’s National History Teacher of the Year will be announced in fall 2023 and celebrated at a ceremony in New York City. The ceremony will feature Peabody and Emmy Award-winning ABC News Senior National Affairs Correspondent Deborah Roberts as its presenter. Roberts, a contributing anchor for 20/20, was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in May. She is also the author of the New York Times recent bestselling book Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life.
Past presenters of the award include the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, First Lady Laura Bush, former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Nominations for the 2024 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, educators, and supervisors may nominate K–12 teachers by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy.
About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History 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 while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the Council of Independent Colleges, and the National Daughters of the American Revolution. Visit gilderlehrman.org to learn more.