Jeanne Rust
A northwest Iowa teacher has been named the Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year for the state of Iowa, which qualifies her for the national Teacher of the Year honor as well.
Jeanne Rust teaches history at Le Mars Community High School. Rust says, “It’s really based on the hard work of my students because if I didn’t have hard working students, I guess in the end, I wouldn’t look quite as good.”
The national award will go to one junior division and one senior division teacher who has shown outstanding creativity, commitment and inspiration in developing student interest in history education. Rust says one of her students put her name in for the state honor.
Rust was nominated by a high school student whose National History Day project is going to the national competition. The state award brings a $500 prize, while the national award winners receive $10,000 in honor of their outstanding efforts to encourage and support history education. The national winners will be announced June 16th.
By Dennis Morrice, KLEM, Le Mars