"I am so honored to be nominated for the NHD Teacher of the Year!" Laura Shafer has been a history teacher for 21 years in Arizona. "I started getting involved in NHD in 2016, first as a judge and then by having my students compete at both the middle and high school levels. There is no other opportunity like NHD to have my students engage in historical research. My students truly become historians, diving into archives, meeting with librarians and even interviewing historical witnesses. They become experts on their topics and build confidence in their academic pursuits. Having a 12 year old create a 10 page annotated bibliography is an accomplishment in and of itself! I have students come back and compete year after year, growing in their abilities and confidence as researchers. NHD is a unique opportunity for students who love history!"
