Shori Ruscito Named 2019 Rhode Island History Teacher of the Year
SHORI RUSCITO
Providence, RI: Shori Ruscito, a teacher at Coventry High School, has been named the 2019 Rhode Island History Teacher of the Year, an award presented annually by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to K-12 American history education. The Rhode Island Historical Society organizes the selection committee and the state awards ceremony which will be held in the fall.
Inaugurated in 2004, the History Teacher of the Year Award highlights the crucial importance of history education by honoring exceptional American history teachers from elementary school through high school. The award honors one K-12 teacher from each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and US Territories. In fall 2019, the National History Teacher of the Year will be selected from the pool of state winners.
In 2012, Shori Ruscito received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island. She began teaching at Coventry High School that same year. Shori teaches Pre-Advanced Placement American History, America and Government, and recently developed a Rhode Island History course. In 2017, she achieved her National Board Certification. Shori has a dedication to life-long learning and is passionate about sharing her love for history with her students.
“Although it still early in her career, Shori is one of the most seasoned teachers in our school and her lessons are some of the best that I have ever observed. Shori’s consistent use of primary and secondary sources ensures that there is a constant focus on promoting higher order thinking skills. As a result, she has been very successful in preparing students to become good readers, writers, thinkers and problem solvers. Her ability to push students while also providing them with support and structure is truly remarkable. Shori has a very special way of making students feel comfortable, while also motivating and pushing them academically,” says Brooke Macomber, Principal of Coventry High School.
In addition to a $1,000 honorarium, Shori Ruscito’s school, Coventry High School, will receive a core archive of American history books and Gilder Lehrman educational materials and recognition at the state ceremony.
The National History Teacher of the Year Award will be presented by John Avlon, Senior Political Analyst and anchor at CNN, at a ceremony in New York City on October 2, 2019. Past presenters at the ceremony include the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor, Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts, First Lady Laura Bush, former US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Nominations for the 2020 History Teacher of the Year awards are now open. Students, parents, colleagues, and supervisors may nominate K-12 teachers for the award by visiting
The deadline for 2019 nominations is March 31, 2020.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
Founded in 1822, the RIHS, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the fourth-oldest historical society in the United States and is Rhode Island’s largest and oldest historical organization. In Providence, the RIHS owns and operates the John Brown House Museum, a designated National Historic Landmark, built in 1788; the Aldrich House, built in 1822 and used for administration and public programs; and the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, where archival, book and image collections are housed. In Woonsocket, the RIHS manages the Museum of Work and Culture, a community museum examining the industrial history of northern Rhode Island and of the workers and settlers, especially French-Canadians, who made it one of the state’s most distinctive areas.
About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Now celebrating its twenty-fifth year, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History was founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, visionaries and lifelong supporters of American history education. The Institute is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to K–12 history education while also serving the general public. Its mission is to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources.
At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. Drawing on the 70,000 documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection and an extensive network of eminent historians, the Institute provides teachers, students, and the general public with direct access to unique primary source materials.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is supported through the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization of American Historians, and the Council of Independent Colleges.