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Waverly-South Shore Teacher Brett Brennan Named South Dakota’s 2026 History Teacher of the Year

Portrait of a smiling woman on a chalkboard-style History graphic with The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and Northeast Radio SD text

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Waverly-South Shore High School Social Science teacher Mrs. Brett Brennan has been selected as South Dakota’s 2026 State History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, one of the nation’s most prestigious organizations dedicated to K‑12 history education.


The Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year program, established in 2004, honors exceptional history educators across all 50 states, U.S. territories, Washington, D.C., and Department of Defense schools. Thousands of teachers are nominated annually by students, parents, colleagues, and community members. State committees composed of educators, historians, and academic professionals review nominations and select one outstanding teacher per state. Each state honoree receives a $1,000 award and advances as a nominee for the 2026 National History Teacher of the Year, which will be selected in September.


Mrs. Brennan has served Waverly-South Shore School since 2009 and has taught high school social science since 2017. Under her leadership, Waverly-South Shore has earned eight ECC Conference National History Day Competition championships, reflecting a sustained record of student achievement in historical research and presentation.


Her professional accomplishments include participation in two nationally competitive summer study programs:

·         National History Day Summer Institute at Pearl Harbor (2023) with student Emily Heuer

·         Albert H. Small Normandy, France Institute (2026) with student Carlee Mushitz


Brennan’s work has been recognized repeatedly at the state and national levels. She received the South Dakota Governor’s Award for History Teacher of the Year in 2022, the Loren Lutz National History Day Teacher of the Year Award in 2024, and was South Dakota’s sole nominee for the National History Day National Teacher of the Year in 2025.


Waverly-South Shore School officials say Brennan’s dedication to historical scholarship, student mentorship, and experiential learning continues to elevate the district’s academic reputation.

Smiling woman in a gray sweater with a yellow and white stripe, posed against a gray studio backdrop.

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