Upper School history teacher Heather Shores has been named Georgia History Teacher of the Year by the Georgia state chapter of the National Society of United States Daughters of 1812.
"Heather's classroom goes beyond the textbook," said Director of Upper School Chad Woods. "She brings her knowledge and experience along with her passion for American History to the students each and every day."
Shores has taught history at Darlington since 2022 and serves as coordinator of the Upper School's community service program. She has more than 20 years of experience in the field of public history, 16 of those in teaching college-level courses, and holds a B.A. in History and an M.A. in History from the University of West Georgia. She recently received Darlington's Beachum Master Teaching Award, given to a member of the faculty who has accomplished something exceptional in his or her teaching, devoting time beyond the call of duty to students and to the teaching profession.
"Throughout my academic journey, U.S. History teacher Ms. Heather Shores has been an unwavering beacon of inspiration and guidance," said senior Aden Davis. "With her captivating lectures and profound insights, she ignited within me a passion for understanding the complexities of the past. Her dedication to fostering critical thinking and empathy has not only shaped my academic pursuits, but has also profoundly influenced my perspective on the world. I can't help but feel a lot of sadness knowing that I will no longer have her wisdom and mentorship to rely on after graduating. I will sorely miss Ms. Shores’ impactful presence and the profound impact she has had on my intellectual growth."
Prior to her work at Darlington, Shores served as executive director of Chieftain's Museum in Rome, program specialist and bookkeeper for Georgia Career & Technical Instruction, and part-time history faculty member at Georgia Highlands College. She received Georgia Highlands' "Thank a Teacher" Award in the spring of 2020 and the spring of 2021. She has also taught at Dalton State College and Kennesaw State University and worked as a coordinator at several museums and history centers.
The National Society of United States Daughters of 1812 is a non-profit, non-political, women’s service organization for descendants of American patriots who rendered civil, military or naval service to our country during the years of 1784 to 1815 inclusive.
