Gilder Lehrman Names Doshi as National History Teacher of the Year 2026
News related to:The Gilder Lehrman Institute · 4 min read
The Gilder Lehrman Institute has named Aditi Mehta Doshi as the 2026 National History Teacher of the Year, a prestigious award that will be presented at a special ceremony in New York City on November 9, 2026. The institute, founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, is the leading nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of American history through educational programs and resources.
Doshi, a California educator with more than two decades of experience teaching in Los Angeles, will receive a $10,000 grand prize at the ceremony. Earlier this year, she was selected as California History Teacher of the Year and advanced to the national competition alongside other teachers representing each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools, and U.S. territories.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute established the History Teacher of the Year program in 2004 to recognize exceptional K, 12 American history educators. Teachers are nominated by students, parents, colleagues, or administrators and must have at least three years of classroom experience. A panel of historians, professors, teachers, and the previous national winner evaluates the 53 state winners using specialized rubrics before selecting the National History Teacher of the Year.
Doshi currently teaches African American Studies, AP World History, and AP U.S. History at Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES) Magnet. She received an A.B. in History from Harvard College, an M.Ed. from UCLA’s Teacher Education Program, and an M.A. in American History from Gettysburg College. She has served as a National History Day coordinator and judge, building successful programs at multiple schools and advising hundreds of students. Doshi also serves as an AP Reader and UCLA AP Readiness Instructor for AP African American Studies and as the inaugural Teacher Trustee on the National History Day Board of Trustees.
Her honors include the 2024 National History Day Patricia Behring Senior Division Teacher of the Year and the 2024 Los Angeles Unified School District Champion. Doshi is a testament to the dedication and skill that exceptional history teachers bring to their classrooms every day. Through thoughtful use of primary sources and creativity, she challenges students to engage more deeply with American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Institute brings the work of today’s leading historians into classrooms and homes around the globe. Through public events, publications, posters, videos, exhibitions, essays, and a dedicated website rich in primary sources, the Institute brings every period of American history to life. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute, with its diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provides opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history. The Institute’s diverse education programs, including the acclaimed Hamilton Education Program, provide opportunities to explore five centuries of American history.