OKLAHOMA CITY — Jennifer Huff, a history teacher at Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City, has been named the 2025 Oklahoma History Teacher of the Year. This award is presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K–12 American history education.

Huff, who teaches both U.S. History and AP U.S. Government and Politics, has taught at Heritage Hall for 16 years. 

Huff is known for her dynamic and engaging classroom style, and for bringing history to life through primary source analysis and wide-ranging discussions of the American experience, from studies on the First People to the Vietnam War. By centering her teaching on the words and experiences of those who lived through key moments in history, Huff said she hopes to encourage students to think critically, connect personally with the past, and become active, informed citizens.

“Now more than ever, 'learning from our past to influence the future' is a vital adage in classrooms across the nation,” Huff said. “I especially stress ‘historical empathy’ in my teaching; I try to remind students that those who came before us were human beings - they experienced the same fears, joys, and frustrations that we do today.”

While endorsing her candidacy, Matthew A. Carolan, Heritage Hall Head of School, said Huff is known for her commitment to academic excellence and the personal growth of her students: “Great teachers never stop learning or refining their craft, and Jennifer’s dedication to professional growth is truly remarkable,” Carolan said. “At Heritage Hall, she shares her passion for history and her evolving practices with her peers—further demonstrating her belief in lifelong learning and the strength of professional community.”

In addition to a $1,000 prize, Huff will receive an archive of classroom resources and recognition at a local ceremony. She is now one of 53 finalists for the 2025 National History Teacher of the Year Award. The national winner will be announced later this year.

First awarded in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K–12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. territories. The winner of this year’s National History Teacher of the Year Award will be announced in the fall.

Huff will be honored at the Oklahoma History Center on Saturday, Nov. 1. 

About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, the Council of Independent Colleges, and the National Daughters of the American Revolution.