2002 Joseph Webber Teaching Award Winner

This is the 8th year for the Joseph Webber Teaching Award to be presented in Missouri, and again the Webber Award winner will be Missouri's nominee for the national prize in June. Last year our nominee, Carol Bohl of Harrisonville, was one of the national finalists.

Kathleen Swift, of Carthage High School, has been chosen 2002 Missouri Teacher of Merit. Obviously, this year's nominee was recommended by the coordinator from her region. But in addition to his recommendation, we received glowing letters from a fellow teacher, her school principal, parents and students who all tell of the numerous ways this teacher has changed their lives.

A former student tells us, “It's been amazing to see the [History Day] program at our school go from a small Junior High RISE activity to a 7-12 grade phenomenon. I sometimes wondered how she did it with only one other teacher and while teaching so many other classes.”

That “other teacher” says, “Kathleen introduced me to History Day, taught me as she did the students—encouraging, prodding, pushing, nurturing as the individual need arose.”

The Carthage program, led by Ms. Swift, has indeed become a “phenomenon.” In the past 2 years, alone, she has accompanied 12 student delegates, presenting 8 separate entries, to the National competition.

This year 60 students competed at the regional contest at Missouri Southern State College and 10 students came to the state contest.

Ms. Swift also shares her knowledge with others. She is on the State advisory committee, where her experience is extremely helpful to myself and to others on the committee.

She has also presented papers and sessions about History Day at professional conferences to get out the word to even more teachers than at her own schools.

Congratulations to Ms. Kathleen Swift, National History Day in Missouri's Teacher of the Year!