A University of Central Arkansas alumnus was recently selected as the Arkansas History Teacher of the Year.
Brick Cullum, a 2018 UCA graduate, was selected as the state’s top history teacher by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. He currently teaches African American history, world history and advanced placement comparative government at Conway High School.
“I was super excited to win the award, mostly because it meant all the hard work I’ve been doing to honor my students’ diverse backgrounds is paying off,” Cullum said. “This kind of honor is honestly always a surprise to me, because as educators we only ever know what we immediately feel connected to. Students might tell me I’ve made a difference, but without that I’m always left in the dark. This is validation. I just want to keep advocating for them and pushing for more acceptance.”
As part of the award, Cullum received $1,000 from the Gilder Lehrman Institute as well as a collection of American history books and other educational materials. Winning the statewide contest means Cullum will now be one of 53 finalists for Lehrman’s National Teacher of the Year award, which will be announced in the fall. The national winner will take home a $10,000 prize.
Cullum was recently selected as Conway High School’s Teacher of the Year. He majored in social studies education while at UCA, graduating summa cum laude.
By Philip Allison