By Aimee L. Cook

South Valley - Herriman High School history teacher, Darlene James was recently awarded the Outstanding American History Teacher Award by the Salt Lake Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR]. The DAR is a non-profit organization, made up of only women that have a proven patriot ancestor that fought in the Revolutionary War. 

Susan Holt, chapter regent for the Salt Lake Valley Chapter of the DAR nominated James after reading a previous article about her in the South Jordan Journal where she had received the James Madsen Fellowship award.

“This is a very prestigious award in our organization,” Holt said. “It is not taken lightly, and it is something that the person who wins on the national level, they attend our Continental Congress which happens in Washington D.C. every summer.”

James had to meet certain requirements to complete the nomination,  such as submit her resume and recommendation letter, to complete the process which has taken several months.

“I was contacted by the chapter to inform me that they selected me,” James said. “I have since prepared an extensive application that has been submitted, per the local chapter’s request, to be submitted at the state level, to proceed onto district and national, if said levels also select me as their Outstanding American History Teacher recipient. This award was nothing that I applied for, but I am a happy recipient.”

The award James received highlights her as a teacher and her love of American history and how she shares that enthusiasm with her students. 

“We are just very honored to do this for her,” Holt said. “She does not like a quiet classroom. She encourages students to ask questions.”