By Danielle Smith
By Anna Gustafson for the Pennsylvania Independent.
Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the Pennsylvania Independent-Public News Service Collaboration
Leon Smith, a Haverford High School educator and the newly named National Teacher of the Year, was in 10th grade when he had a Black teacher for the first time.
It was then, as a teenager, that the Upper Dublin native first saw himself represented in someone leading his classroom, and that moment helped to inspire him to pursue a career in teaching.
“I did have a student teacher that made a significant impact on me because I never had a Black teacher before, and when he came into the classroom, it just made me feel a sense of belonging and dignity and inclusion,” Smith told the Pennsylvania Independent. “Once I felt that, I said, Wow, that’s what I’ve been missing. And so I wanted to make sure that I could do that for other students that were in situations where they weren’t able to connect with possibly their teachers or the curriculum.”
For the past 25 years, Smith has taught at Haverford High School, where he has worked to educate students about Black history, among other topics, and be a role model for students who may not always seem themselves represented in the educational landscape. Nationwide, about 80% of teachers are white, and the majority of public school students are people of color, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Smith noted in his application for National Teacher of the Year that he was the only Black teacher in his school for 20 years.
“When it came to creating authentic connections with students in my classes through personal connection, I experienced moments of hesitation,” Smith wrote. “I worried that sharing too many stories of my life, often intertwined with Black History, would bring criticism from parents, administrators, or students.
“I eventually became more confident in my identity as a Black educator and realized that my perspective was an important part of my students’ education,” he continued. “By sharing my experiences and infusing Black History into the curriculum, I inspire students to think critically, have moments of self-discovery, and positively contribute to society.”
On April 21, Smith’s decades of work as an educator, as well as a coach and mentor, were celebrated when state Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe announced that the Council of Chief State School Officers had named Smith the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. Last year, Smith was named Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.
Each year, the council selects a National Teacher of the Year from a group of educators who each have been selected as their state’s teacher of the year. That individual then goes on to take a year-long sabbatical from their job in order to work full time to “shine a light on the vital role of teachers in this country” and “bring national public attention on the importance of excellence in teaching,” according to a statement from the council.
“In a field of professionals dedicated to changing lives, Leon Smith has rightfully emerged as a model for us all,” Matthew Hayes, superintendent of the School District of Haverford Township, said in a press release. “His passion for the role of high-quality, representative teachers in public education is evident in his daily interactions. For over 20 years, he has been inspiring students, colleagues, and community members with his passion for what he teaches and the students who learn from him.”
Smith said he feels extreme gratitude for having been named the National Teacher of the Year. He will begin his sabbatical in July, when he will begin to travel the country to spend time with fellow teachers.
“I realized it was such a tremendous honor, and I just have so much respect for teaching and education in general,” Smith said. “So it was just one of those moments where I had to pause for a minute and really just think about how important it was. Because most of my career, I’ve been really focused on really trying to elevate the profession, really just trying to celebrate the work that teachers do every day and hopefully inspire young people to consider to become a teacher.”
Throughout his career, Smith said, he has worked hard to connect with students in a variety of ways, from the classroom to coaching basketball, serving as a mentor and being the school’s African American cultural enrichment adviser. Currently, he teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History, AP African American Studies, and an elective course on pop culture.
During his classes, Smith said, it’s important for him to foster critical thinking among students and encourage them to consider overlooked perspectives, such as what the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education meant for Black teachers. In that decision, the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Following the 1954 ruling and the desegregation of schools, tens of thousands of Black educators lost their jobs as white school district leaders fired them and refused to hire them to work at predominantly white schools.
Classroom conversations about race and racism in the country have left students feeling empowered to make change, Smith noted in his National Teacher of the Year application.
“During one particularly powerful moment, an Asian American student reflected on her own feelings of sadness about not having an Asian teacher and established a goal to begin an Asian American history course,” he wrote. “I was so proud of her; she went on to research and create a framework for an Asian American Studies course that she presented to the school board.”
Smith said it’s critical that students feel comfortable with him, and all teachers, not only to learn from them, but to be able to question the world around them.
“I think that one of the most important things is that students feel safe, that students see their teachers caring about them, and that there’s a sense of community in the classroom,” he said.
Anna Gustafson wrote this article for the Pennsylvania Independent.
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