Stefanie Fuchs, a Rigby High School history teacher with more than two decades in the classroom, has been named Idaho History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The honor comes with a $1,000 monetary award and a collection of educational resources for her classroom. Fuchs is now eligible to compete for the national title, which will be announced this fall.
Fuchs brings 21 years of teaching experience to her role at Rigby High School, where she has worked for the past 14 years. Her responsibilities extend beyond the classroom: she serves as the U.S. History Lead and as America 250 co-chair at the school, positions that reflect her commitment to reshaping how students engage with American history and civic education.
Innovations in History Curriculum
During her tenure at Rigby High, Fuchs has made tangible changes to the history program. She established World History as a graduation requirement—a shift designed to broaden students’ global perspective—and launched a Dual-Credit World History course that allows students to earn college credits while still in high school. Beyond curriculum development, she has taken on the responsibility of mentoring student teachers, passing along pedagogical expertise to the next generation of educators.
Her approach to history emphasizes relevance and consequence. “I love how exceptional our story is,” Fuchs told the Post Register of American history. “I love watching my students connect the past to the present and the future; when they realize that the past is a living record and that choices have consequences.” She added that history remains vital to understanding daily life: “History isn’t dead. Things that often feel a world away really do affect our lives today.”
The recognition reflects her philosophy of teaching. Fuchs was nominated for the state award by Laron Johnson, who himself holds the title of Idaho Teacher of the Year and also teaches at Rigby High School. Johnson’s nomination highlighted the impact Fuchs has had on her students and colleagues alike.
Path to the Profession
Fuchs’s dedication to history education was shaped by her own schooling. She credits Erick Haroldson, her high school history teacher at Bonneville High School, as an early inspiration—a testament to how exemplary teachers can influence the career choices of their students.
As an Idaho native, Fuchs carries personal roots in the state where she now teaches, bringing a regional perspective to her classroom discussions of American history and governance.
National Competition Ahead
Fuchs will now compete at the national level against 51 other finalists for the National History Teacher of the Year award. The national winner, who will receive a $10,000 grand prize, will be announced at the Harvard Club of New York City later this fall.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s recognition program identifies exemplary history educators across the country and elevates the profession at a time when history curricula face scrutiny and when educators work to make the subject resonate with students. Fuchs’s award acknowledges both her classroom success and her efforts to expand opportunities for students to earn college credit and to understand history as a dynamic, consequential discipline.
Her work at Rigby High aligns with broader conversations taking place across Idaho about education funding and teacher support. Idaho Falls residents have pushed for enrollment-based school funding models at state listening sessions, and teacher compensation remains a topic of active discussion between districts and educator organizations—issues that affect the quality of instruction students receive in classrooms like Fuchs’s.
What Comes Next
Over the coming months, Fuchs will represent Idaho in the national competition. The fall announcement of the national winner will determine whether her innovations in history curriculum and her student-centered teaching philosophy earn her recognition on a national stage. Regardless of the outcome, her state award underscores the importance of experienced, engaged educators in shaping how students understand their nation’s past and present.