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IHS honorees include Cloverdale man
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) has announced its individuals and organizations whose efforts have enriched the lives of others by conveying awareness and appreciation of Indiana’s history on local, regional and statewide levels.
The selections include a Cloverdale man, Steve Reeder, who teaches at Monrovia High School.
Reeder is the winner of the Caleb Mills Indiana History Teacher of the Year Award, named in honor of Caleb Mills, the father of Indiana’s common schools.
The award is made annually to a teacher (in grades 4-12) currently teaching American or Indiana history and recognized by his or her colleagues as making a significant contribution to the understanding of these two fields by his or her students.
Reeder serves as the head of the social studies department at Monrovia, where he teaches AP history, honors psychology and honors sociology. Through local history projects, he has led his students to love their community through learning about the history of its people and places.
Reeder and his students have also been recognized on the floor of Congress and are part of the Congressional record for their work in community and local history.
“We are inspired by these amazing museums, local historical societies, individuals and organizations for their tireless dedication to bringing history to light and life,” Patti Curran, who chairs the board of trustees of the IHS, said. “We are grateful for the chance to be able to reflect on and celebrate the many victories and accomplishments of so many of our partners in Indiana history.”
“History can be a source of inspiration and pride, of learning and direction — where we have been helps us determine the best paths to take moving forward,” added Jody Blankenship, president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society. “These organizations and individuals reach so many different parts of our communities — from young to old, across geographical and cultural bounds. Together, they provide an invaluable historical resource to our communities and fellow Hoosiers.”
In addition to Reeder, the 2022 award winners also include two area organizations:
Daughters of the American Revolution, Wa-Pe-Ke-Way Chapter, Danville
The Wa-Pe-Ke-Way Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter’s military banner program began in 2020 as a trial project, with a goal of honoring area veterans and active military service members. After starting with 107 banners in four towns and being incredibly well received by area residents, town leaders and visitors, the program has grown to nearly 300 banners in 12 Indiana communities across four counties — Hendricks, Marion, Putnam and Montgomery.
Morgan County History Center and Museum
Planning for the history center and museum — Morgan County’s first — began in August 2018. Organizers set out with goals of providing an excellent museum experience to the community and visitors, providing stewardship and management of the museum’s collection in accordance with established professional museum practices, increasing and maintaining financial strength and sustainability, and having a high-performing museum committee and volunteer staff.
The grand opening took place on June 12, 2021. Since its opening, the History Center has hosted more than a dozen events for the public, including teaching grade-school students and giving history presentations to civic groups. In early 2022, the History Center launched the “Memories Project” — which collects interviews from older citizens of the county to gather and save their stories for future generations to enjoy.