A history teacher at El Paso-Gridley High School has been named teacher of the year by the state historical society.
The Olive Foster Outstanding Teacher Award is given annually by the Illinois State Historical Society to K-12 teachers for developing and implementing outstanding ways of engaging students in their study of Illinois history. Olive Foster, the award’s namesake, is a former Illinois state historian and originator of the Illinois History Program.
El Paso's Project XV Museum [named after the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution] began as a class project in Michael Melick's U.S. history course. Through a community effort, the idea blossomed into the state’s only museum dedicated to the topic of voting rights.
The museum's landmark exhibit is the restored barbershop of David Stother, the first Black man to vote in Illinois. A ribbon cutting for the exhibit took place at the museum's gala earlier this month.
Melick received the award on April 26 at the state historical society’s annual banquet. The roster, dating back to 2006, includes just one other teacher whose district is in McLean County. Mark McBride of Tri Valley High School in Downs won the award in 2017. Winners receive a $1,000 honorarium.
