Wednesday, Oct 8, 2025
Robert Schulte ’04 named 1 of 3 recipients of this year’s American Civic Education Teacher Awards
by Adam Grybowski
Robert Schulte ’04, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Reynolds Middle School in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, has been named a recipient of this year’s American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA).
He is one of three teachers recognized nationally.
The awards honor elementary and secondary teachers who excel at teaching the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress and public policy at the state and local levels. The Center for Civic Education, the Center on Representative Government at Indiana University and the National Education Association jointly select the winners.
“Teaching is a demanding profession, and the work can often feel invisible, but an award like this helps validate the hard work and dedication required to teach,” says Schulte, who double majored in history and secondary education at Rider University and earned a master’s degree in American history from Pace University. “It helps motivate and encourage me to continue to work hard and innovate in the classroom.”
A published historian whose lesson plans have received state awards and been presented nationally, Schulte has been widely recognized over his 20‑year career for bringing civics and the nation’s founding history to life for his students. For a unit on federalism, for example, he had students analyze government responses to crises and create emergency survival guides to share with their families.
I hope to also inspire the next generation of educators to follow.”
“These experiences push students beyond memorization, encouraging meaningful connections between history, civics, and everyday life,” wrote the Center for Civic Education on its website about Schulte announcing the award winners.
In addition to the ACETA recognition, Schulte was named the 2025 New Jersey History Teacher of the Year this summer by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, a nonprofit dedicated to K–12 history education.
Dr. Scott Rocco, Hamilton Township School District superintendent of schools, called the honor well-deserved. “His passion for history is evident in the classroom and beyond. We are proud and honored to have Mr. Schulte as a teacher in HTSD,” Rocco says.
Since 2004, the Gilder Lehrman award has recognized exceptional K–12 educators in American history. Nominees are recommended by students, colleagues or school leaders and selected by state committees of historians and educators. The recognition includes a $1,000 honorarium and a curated collection of American history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute.
“It’s such an incredible privilege to be honored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. History and civics are so important for our students to continue the goal of creating a ‘more perfect union,’” Schulte says. “The network of educators these awards bring me into will only serve to help me continue to grow as a teacher, and I hope to also inspire the next generation of educators to follow.”