Congratulations to Jeron Velasco nominee for Arizona Teacher of the Year.

Fifteen educators are up for a prestigious award, where one will be named the newest recipient for Arizona Teacher of the Year.

The Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) recently announced the top 15 candidates for the 2027 Arizona Teacher of the Year award, honoring the educators who are shaping the future of schools and students. Selected from a pool of 155 nominated teachers statewide, the Historical League is grateful to have nominee Jeron Brown Velasco as a National History Day teacher. 

Jeron Velasco is an award-winning educator, researcher, and author dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth through culturally responsive teaching, community-based learning, and storytelling. Currently teaching at Dishchii’bikoh Community School in Cibecue, Arizona, he brings over twelve years of teaching experience across the Philippines and the United States. He holds a Master of Arts in Education majoring in Social Studies and has also earned a Master of Arts in Special Education. He is currently a PhD candidate in Social Studies, further deepening his expertise in the field and his commitment to advancing educational practice and research.

Under his mentorship, students have earned top honors at National History Day Arizona, advancing to the national competition in Maryland and bringing recognition to their community through powerful, research-driven projects centered on Indigenous history and identity.

Passionate about preserving history through student voice and community engagement, Mr. Velasco founded the Dishchii’bikoh History Club and led the creation of the Heroes of Cibecue book series—an innovative collection of student-produced children’s books, coloring books, and cinematic audio stories in both English and Apache that honor the lives and legacies of White Mountain Apache veterans. His work transforms students into historians, authors, and cultural ambassadors.

Mr. Velasco’s visionary leadership has earned him numerous prestigious recognitions, including the 2025 Arizona History Teacher of the Year (Gilder Lehrman Institute), Pulitzer Center Teacher Fellow, C-SPAN National Teacher Fellow, the John J. Ross Memorial Award, the Al Mérito Award from the Arizona Historical Society, and the Christa McAuliffe “Reach for the Stars” Award. Most notably, he was named the 2026 National Smart/Maher VFW Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars—one of the highest national honors recognizing excellence in promoting civic responsibility and patriotism in education.

In addition to his classroom and research achievements, Mr. Velasco serves as a selected member of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Advisory Board for Exceptional Children, contributing his expertise to support policies and programs that advance the education of Indigenous students with diverse learning needs.

Through his unwavering dedication to education, culture, and civic engagement, Mr. Velasco continues to inspire young people to honor their heritage, amplify their voices, and become transformative leaders in their communities.