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Paschal a teacher of the year nominee
By Suzannah Solomon Wilson
Tallassee High School graduate Kathy Paschal is making history while teaching her students to do the same.
Paschal is a history teacher at Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook and was the state of Alabama nominee for the prestigious Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award for her work with Alabama History Day and National History Day.
She was one of 102 teachers across the United States nominated. According to the National History Day website, the nominees are teachers who demonstrate “a commitment to engaging students in historical learning through the innovative use of primary sources, implementation of active learning strategies to foster historical thinking skills, and participation in the National History Day Contest.
But Paschal’s accolades don’t end there. She was also named an Alabama Public Television Excellence in Education award winner, which came with a $500.00 cash award for her classroom. In the Alabama Humanities Alliance announcement, they talked about her “uplifting spirit” and her “dedication to education” and that the award “speaks to her commitment teaching students about advance research, critical thinking, and presentation skills.”
Paschal and her students have participated in Alabama History Day for the last two years after a colleague introduced her to the program. Around 60 students participate on the school level, producing about 40 projects, and teachers and the principal choose three entries from each category to compete at the state level. State winners advance to National History Day in Washington, D.C. Categories include papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries and websites.
Stanhope Elmore student Maleah Bufford won the 2023 Outstanding Affiliate Award for her performance, “Stonewall: Are We Moving Forwards or Backwards?”
This past spring, several SEHS students placed in the state contest.
Brianna Savage placed 2nd in the website division for “The Artificial Heart” and Maleah Bufford placed 1st in the performance division for “The Life of Anne Braden: Kindness of Rebellion?” Paschal’s student Brianna Easterling placed second in performance for “New Beginning: A New Deal Story.”
In the group division, Kaylee Cochran and Makayla Palmore placed second in exhibits for “the Management of Diabetes: From 2024.”
Paschal has been teaching for almost 25 years, spending a year and a half at Reeltown Elementary School before accepting a job at Stanhope Elmore High School.
She was recently chosen as the first Huntingdon College graduate to be featured in the #WisdominService #Year of the Educator program. Huntingdon College president Anthony Leigh has declared the 2024-2025 academic year the Year of the Educator.
Paschal carries her love of history into the volunteer community, serving as president of Tallassee’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration committee.
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