Misha Matsumoto Yee, a history teacher at St. Andrew’s Schools in downtown Honolulu, has been named National History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, prevailing over more than 6,000 other nominees nationwide.

Matsumoto Yee will be honored Oct. 18 at a ceremony in New York, where she will receive the award and a prize of $10,000.

James Basker, president of the nonprofit Gilder Lehrman Institute, praised Matsumoto Yee in a statement “not only for her dedicated and impactful work with her students in Hawaii, but for modeling the highest standards of service and leadership in her profession. She is proof that teachers are indeed the lifeblood of the system, and we are all forever indebted to them.”

As the 2022 National History Teacher of the Year, Matsumoto Yee will serve as an ambassador for the teaching community and a spokesperson and thought leader on the importance of high-quality American history education for all students, particularly those from underserved communities, according to a news release.

Matsumoto Yee said she was surprised and honored by the award. “The Priory students, with their enthusiasm and curiosity, motivate me every day,” she said in the release. “I share this honor with them and with my colleagues, all of whom have a love of teaching that translates to a profoundly rich learning experience for our students, preparing them to engage with purpose as young leaders.”

Matsumoto Yee, who holds a master’s degree in American history from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is the upper school social science department chair at St. Andrew’s Schools — The Priory. She teaches Advanced Placement U.S. history, AP government and politics, U.S. history, U.S. government, world cultures and religions, and such electives as independent inquiry and a model United Nations class.

Additionally, she has helped to create “Global Leadership” criteria at St. Andrew’s Schools and has served as a reader for the College Board’s AP U.S. history exam since 2018.

Nichole Field, principal of The Priory Upper School at St. Andrew’s, said in the release that Matsumoto Yee “has a gift for gently pulling the very best from her students. This stems from her high standards, genuine kindness and compassion for the experience of learners, belief in the capability of young learners, and her capacity to personalize learning experiences for each student. She is one of the finest teachers I have observed in my career.”