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BISMARCK -- Caryssa Silentman, a history teacher at Williston Middle School, has been named the 2026 Gilder Lehrman North Dakota History Teacher of the Year. The awarded is presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and coordinated in North Dakota by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Silentman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts with a specialization in teaching American history and government from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio.
"I love that I get to foster a love of learning for my students and find great joy in seeing them make connections between the past and the present," Silentman said in the news release announcing her selection for the award.
A recognition in her honor will be held Friday, Aug. 14, at 8 a.m. during the Williston Middle School all-staff meeting.
"Caryssa consistently transforms history from a subject students study into an experience they live," said Audra Zimmerman, principal of Williston Middle School. "She is deeply involved in our school community and consistently goes above and beyond to support students, colleagues and school initiatives.”
Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and U.S. Territories.
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Silentman receives an archive of classroom resources from Gilder Lehrman and becomes one of 53 finalists for the 2026 National History Teacher of the Year Award. The winner of this year's National History Teacher of the Year Award will be announced later this fall.
Nominations for the 2027 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting gilderlehrman.org/nhtoy. The deadline for 2027 nominations is April 30.