A Black high school history teacher in Pennsylvania was named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year.

Leon Smith, 46, who has taught Advanced Placement classes in U.S. history and African American Studies at Haverford High School for 25 years, was awarded the distinction by the Council of Chief State School Officers on Tuesday (April 21), according to The Associated Press.

Smith described himself as a “warm demander” who sets high expectations for his students while also surrounding them with love and support in an interview shared by the AP on Monday (April 20). “An adult can tell you that they see something in you that maybe you didn’t see in yourself,” he said. “I love to do that for students. When I see ambition, when I see talent, I let them know that so that they can hopefully pursue that goal and achieve their dreams.”

Smith said he starts each class with a community-building exercise, asking his students on Monday to talk about a song that made them happy. One student chose a track that reminded him of a family vacation, while another recalled music she listened to in a past friendship.

The exercise was designed to help students settle in before moving on to harder topics. On Monday, the topic was: When, if ever, should the United States enter a war happening far away?

“We want to make sure that our students can think critically, that they have empathy, that they can understand the nuance and complexity that goes into making decisions,” Smith said. “My hope is that when they leave my classroom, that they can be civically engaged, that they can make sure that they can create a society that they can be proud of.”

Smith also takes students to the state Capitol each year to engage directly with policymakers and aims to spend the next year advocating for the pivotal role educators should play in shaping the next generation, per AP.

“They’ve moved societies. They have empowered activist movements. They’ve helped people to figure out what they want to do when they group up. They’ve had a tremendous impact, and my hope is that people are inspired to join that legacy,” Smith said.

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