Greenburgh Faculty Member Honored As NY History Teacher Of The Year

HARTSDALE, NY — A social studies teacher in the Greenburgh school district was named a 2023 New York State History Teacher of the Year for 2023.

Mandel Holland, a teacher at Woodlands Middle High School, was honored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Because of the recognition, Holland will be honored by the Greenburgh Town Board at its Dec. 13 meeting at Town Hall.

Supervisor Paul Feiner said the school district is lucky to have Holland as a teacher.

“Mandel has touched the lives of so many young people in a positive manner,” he said. “He is a role model.”

Feiner said Holland’s commitment to teaching American history, his creativity, his use of imagination in the classroom, and so much more, has inspired many young people to excel.

“He has been making a world of positive difference in the lives of many,” he said.

Holland told Patch that the honor means so much because he was nominated for the award by a student he taught in ninth and 10th grades.

“This kid hardly speaks to his teachers,” he said, adding that he may have had a half dozen conversations with him in the two years he was in his classes.

“It was obvious he was smart,” Holland said, “but I had no idea he had such an appreciation for what I provided him.”

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History said that any student, parent, colleague or principal or other administrator familiar with the teacher’s work can make a nomination. Self-nominations are not accepted.

State winners are selected by a committee that reviews all applications. Afterward, a panel of judges evaluates all state winners and selects the National History Teacher of the Year.

Winners on the state level receive a $1,000 prize, an archive of classroom resources and recognition at a ceremony in their state. National winners receive $10,000.

Holland said that his approach to being a teacher is relatively simple: He treats his students as he would his own children and never allows his students to fall victim to the soft bigotry of low expectations.

“This job is too hard to do well if you don’t truly love your students,” he said, “and I honestly and truly love my students.”

Holland teaches Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate history. He is also the head modified football coach and the club advisor for the Black Student Union.

The Greenburgh Town Board will meet next at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13. Town Hall is at 177 Hillside Ave. in Greenburgh.