Jorge Emmanuel has been teaching social studies at L-P Untalan Middle School for 17 years. He was recognized by the Guam legislature for his role in the National History Day Contest and his nomination for this year’s National History Day Teacher of the Year award.
Senator Sabrina Salas Matanane presented Emmanuel with a legislative certificate honoring his participation in the National History Day Contest and celebrating his nomination for the prestigious 2025 National History Day Teacher of the Year award.
The National History Day (NHD) Contest is an annual, nationwide competition that promotes student scholarship and critical thinking through historical research projects. Each year, students across the country spend months researching, preparing, and presenting their work at local and regional competitions. Finalists are invited to the National Contest at the University of Maryland, College Park, for a week-long academic event.
Emmanuel has led his students through this process, helping ignite a passion for Guam’s history in the classroom and beyond. He currently teaches 6th to 8th graders and will accompany his eighth and seventh grade students to Washington, D.C. this week as they present their projects at the 2025 NHD Contest, themed “Rights and Responsibilities in History.”
“I just provide a little guidance along the way,” Emmanuel shared at the ceremony. “But it’s really about getting them to love Guam history again. And I’m hoping to inspire them to continue that after the competition is over.”
This year marks 12 years of Guam’s participation in the NHD program.
