By Ryan Applegate

People’s Defender

For more than two decades, Emily Young has dedicated her career to helping students see beyond the walls of their classrooms. This fall, her passion and creativity were recognized statewide when she was named the Ohio Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year at the 69th Annual Ohio Council for the Social Studies (OCSS) Conference, held October 13-14. The honor celebrates educators who bring history, culture, and civic understanding to life for students across the state, and Young’s work at North Adams Elementary has done exactly that.

The OCSS conference, the largest gathering of social studies educators in Ohio, is a yearly event where teachers and professionals attend educational sessions, keynote addresses, and award ceremonies that highlight exceptional work in the field. Each year, two teachers receive the Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award, one at the elementary level and one at the secondary level. Recipients are selected for their outstanding dedication, skill, intelligence, and compassion in the classroom, as well as their ability to inspire both students and colleagues. Nominees must have taught social studies in Ohio classrooms for at least six years and exemplify the best in teaching excellence and innovation.

Young, who has been an educator for 25 years and a social studies teacher for the past decade, said the recognition gave her a moment to reflect on her journey. “Receiving the Ohio Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award means so much to me,” she said. “After 25 years in education, it feels like a moment to pause and reflect on all the faces, stories, and experiences that have shaped my journey. Teaching has never been ‘just a job’ for me. It’s been a calling to help students see the world beyond their classroom walls, spark curiosity about people and places, and understand how they fit into a much bigger story.”

Young’s teaching philosophy centers on creating a classroom where every student feels welcome and inspired to learn. “This award reminds me of all the little moments that matter most,” she explained. “The spark in a student’s eyes when they connect with a lesson, the creative chaos of projects that bring history to life, and the joy of watching students grow into kind, empathetic, thoughtful young people.” She credits her success to a lifetime of collaboration and encouragement. “It also honors the colleagues and mentors who’ve shared ideas, encouraged innovation, and helped make learning an adventure,” she said.

Her journey to teaching social studies began somewhat unexpectedly. After thirteen years in first grade and two years teaching third-grade English Language Arts, Young took a leap of faith and moved into teaching sixth-grade social studies at North Adams Elementary. “To be completely honest, I was terrified when I first took on the challenge,” she said. “I had always loved social studies as a student, but stepping into a middle school classroom to teach a new content area that would be measured by a state assessment was intimidating.” The decision came at a personal crossroads as well. Her twins were starting kindergarten at the same school, and she was ready for a new challenge.

Her first year in the new role brought steep learning curves and lasting memories. “I should probably apologize to that very first group of sixth graders,” she joked. “I was definitely learning the material right alongside them. But by midyear, I began to find my rhythm and discovered what worked best for both my students and me.” She says the relationships she built with those students remain among the most meaningful in her career. “Those students taught me as much as I taught them, and I still remember the joy of watching my very first group of sixth graders walk across the stage at graduation.”

From that experience, Young built her approach around connection, creativity, and inclusivity. “I committed to ensuring my classroom would always be inclusive, a place where every student felt welcome and valued,” she said. Over time, she transformed her lessons into immersive experiences designed to help students not just learn about history, but live it. “When we study forms of government, I teach the lesson as if we’re living under that system for the day, though Dictatorship Day has been known to stir up some spirited debate,” she said with a laugh. “When we explore civilizations, we taste the foods, listen to the music, and try writing our names in their languages.”

Her students’ favorite lessons reflect this creative approach. They have written names in ancient Cuneiform on clay tablets, survived a zombie apocalypse while learning about the Five Themes of Geography, and even dressed up as historical leaders for government role-playing exercises. They create cave art while studying early humans, make kites and terracotta warriors during the Ancient China unit, and end their study of the Indus River Valley by sampling Indian cuisine. “My goal is not just for them to learn social studies, but to experience it, to see themselves as part of a larger human story,” she said. “Making learning meaningful and memorable has become the heart of my teaching.”

Young believes that social studies is foundational to creating informed, engaged citizens. “Social Studies helps students become informed and engaged members of their communities by showing them how the world works and how they fit into it,” she said. “It gives them the tools to understand government, history, and society, but also teaches them to think critically, ask questions, and consider multiple perspectives.” For her sixth-grade students, the subject’s lessons are both historical and deeply relevant. “It’s so important for them to see that one setback doesn’t define our future,” she said. “We’ve made mistakes as a society, but we’ve also changed the world with invention and progress. Understanding that duality helps them see how their own actions can make a difference.”

Her advice to new teachers is rooted in passion and connection. “Make social studies come alive for your students by connecting it to their everyday lives,” she said. “Facts and dates are important, but students remember experiences, stories, and opportunities to engage. Show them how the past shapes the present and how government affects their community.” She emphasizes that enthusiasm is one of the most powerful tools a teacher can have. “Be enthusiastic yourself,” she urged. “Passion is contagious. When students see you excited about history, government, geography, or culture, they start to see its importance too.”

For Emily Young, the classroom has always been more than a place to teach lessons about the past; it is a space where curiosity and empathy meet, where students learn to appreciate their world and their role in shaping its future. Her recognition as the Ohio Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year affirms what her students and colleagues have long known: that her creativity, dedication, and compassion make history come alive for the next generation of citizens.