Arcadia middle school teacher named 2019 California History Teacher of the Year

ARCADIA, Calif. (KABC) -- A local middle school history teacher is making history herself. Karalee Nakatsuka is being honored as the 2019 California History Teacher of the Year for her work at First Avenue Middle School in Arcadia. She is also one of 10 finalists for the 2019 National History Teacher of the Year Award.

"Our 8th grade students are very lucky to have Mrs. Nakatsuka as a collaborative and innovative teacher who works with all teachers to bring history alive," wrote Principal Dr. Semeen Issa on the school's website.

A U.S. and world history teacher teacher at the school since 1990, Nakatsuka was previously recognized with the 2017 Outstanding Teacher Award and as the Rotary Teacher of the Year in 1999 and 2012. She appeared in Profiles in Excellence for the Arcadia School District in 2001 and has been published in the "Social Studies Review" in the Journal of the California Council for Social Studies.

The award is presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation's leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education.