Holland receives state recognition
Bishop High School History Teacher Karyn (pronounced “Karn”) Holland is the winner of an award for Outstanding Teacher of American History, an honor bestowed by the California State Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Holland will be presented with a state winner certificate, an award pin, and a check for $500 at the Opening Ceremonies of the California State DAR conference on March 10 in San Ramon, said Viv Patterson, who nominated Holland.
“We have never participated in this award before,” said Patterson, who said she did not know Holland before she was asked to choose a nominee. Patterson is the registrar of the Palisade Glacier chapter of the DAR.
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based service organization for women who are descended from soldiers or others who served in America’s battle for independence, according to their website. There are over 175,000 members and 3,000 chapters nationwide. Membership is limited to direct descendants of those involved in the American Revolution. Holland is not a member of the organization.
Photo courtesy: Karyn Holland.
Patterson said she wasn’t sure at first who should be chosen as the nominee. She said that because there are so many excellent teachers at Bishop High School, she had to do some research on the subject.
“I have a lot of friends in education, and I asked all of them, and every single person kept coming back with [Holland’s] name, and I just said, ‘wow,’” said Patterson.
Holland will now be entered in the pool to receive the national award for Outstanding Teacher of American History, Patterson said.
Holland teaches both core curriculum and advanced placement U.S. History at Bishop High School to Junior-level students, said Principal Randy Cook.
“It’s fantastic,” said Cook of Holland’s award. “It’s a rare occurrence in a small community and high school like this to have somebody be recognized on a state and national level like that.”
Holland agreed. “I’m very honored,” she told The Sheet, “and I’m really proud of the fact that they have recognized someone in the Eastern Sierra because I think so often we’re forgotten over here. We have great teachers and great schools with really good students … to be recognized, in a pretty remote area, I think that’s pretty exciting.”
The Palisade Glacier Chapter of DAR will present Holland with her Chapter Winner Certificate on Feb. 4th in Holland’s Bishop High classroom.
“She deserves [the award],” said Principal Cook. “She exudes enthusiasm and passion for her curriculum—it’s contagious. She would be the definition of a master teacher.”
