For the first time, a Jefferson County teacher has been named the state American History Teacher of the Year by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Tim Krysl, teacher at Festus Middle School, was chosen for the honor by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Missouri.
The Louisiana Purchase Chapter of the DAR, which is based in De Soto and represents the entire county, made Krysl its choice for the chapter version of the award earlier in the year. Lynne Jackson, the chapter’s regent, said she thought early on that Krysl had the qualifications to win at the state level.
She said her chapter has existed for more than 100 years, but she did not know how far back the DAR has given the award.
“This is the first time the Louisiana Purchase Chapter has submitted an American History Teacher of the Year for our chapter that also won state,” she said. “After learning what I did about him and the way he teaches and looking at the various things that were submitted to recommend him, I was not surprised at all that he won at state. I was, however, absolutely delighted to learn that our chapter candidate was the winner. I believe he is an extraordinary person and an amazing teacher.”
He is now in contention for the DAR national American History Teacher of the Year recognition, she said.
Krysl, 41, is in his 18th year as an American history teacher; he said news that he won the state honor floored him.
“I’m a talker, but I was speechless,” he said. “They told me to come to their meeting Dec. 13 at the Hillsboro Knights of Columbus because I was getting their chapter award. So, I knew about that. Then, they surprised me by saying I was the state American History Teacher of the Year winner. I was kind of overwhelmed. They also gave me a Literacy Champion award.”
Jackson said Krysl came to the chapter’s attention when its members were searching for people to recognize in a different program.
“The way that we came upon Tim as a potential American History Teacher of the Year was, our Literacy Promotion chair was interviewing and looking for our potential Literacy Champion Award, which we also give out,” she said. “That’s not just for teachers. She recommended Tim for American History Teacher of the Year. He also was given a Literacy Champion certificate of appreciation.”
Krysl strives to get students involved in his lessons, Jackson said.
“Once somebody has been recommended, then we need to look at what are the qualifications that make you think they’re a good candidate,” she said. “We were given a lot of information about how he teaches American history, the methods and the approach that he uses and it became very quickly obvious that this was an extraordinary teacher. When he taught about amendments and the way that he approached American history with students who sat in his classroom, they’d retain that information.”
She cited a particular lesson from Krysl that stood out for her.
“If you are going to simulate the writing of the Declaration of Independence and you have to sharpen your own quills and make your own ink in order to write (in a Krysl lesson),” she said. “I mean, these are the type of things he was doing in the classroom during the teaching process. There were other things he was doing that were kind of mind-bending. I wish I’d had a teacher like that.”
Krysl said he can get carried away when discussing history.
“I’m just a passionate historian,” he said. “I mean, I could talk history to the wall. That’s what my wife always says, anyway. So, if there are people there to listen, they’re bound to fall in love with the story. Because, that’s what history is, a story, if it’s told the right way.
“I always have a saying, because people will walk up to me and say, ‘Man, I hated history in school.’ I say, ‘No, you didn’t. You hated the way you were taught it.’”
Students who currently have Krysl as their teacher for American history speak glowingly of him.
“I love having Mr. Krysl as my history teacher,” eighth-grader Aubrey Peterein said. “He gets you involved and makes your class fun.”
Audrey Kemper, also in the eighth grade, said, “I like that he demonstrates as he’s teaching. He explains it in detail so I can understand it.”
Festus R-6 School District Superintendent Nicki Ruess said Krysl’s honor shines a bright light on the district.
“We are incredibly proud of Mr. Krysl for being named the Missouri American History Teacher of the Year by the Daughters of the American Revolution,” Ruess said. “This prestigious recognition reflects not only his deep content knowledge, but his passion for helping students understand and appreciate the impact of history on our world today. Another example of the high-quality instruction we strive to provide every student, every day.”
Krysl, who grew up in the Sandy Valley area, graduated from Hillsboro High School. He earned an associate degree from Jefferson College, a bachelor’s degree from Webster University in Webster Groves and a master’s degree in history from American Public University in Charleston, W.Va.
“That’s unusual, for a public school teacher to get a master’s in a specific area, but I did that so I could become a professor,” Krysl said. “I teach at Maryville University, a professor of history there. Primarily American history, but I’m also an African-American history teacher there and a Native American history teacher.”
Krysl and his wife, Tracy, live with their four children in Hillsboro.
“Tracy is an (English-language arts) teacher,” he said. “She’s a much better teacher than I am.”
He said he appreciates being named Missouri American History Teacher of the Year by the DAR.
“It was an immense honor,” he said. “Still is.”
Krysl said he is scheduled to receive his state recognition May 2 during the state DAR convention in Branson.
In addition to his teaching duties, he coaches middle school cross country and is an assistant coach for the Festus High School track and field team.