Leon Smith, a 46-year-old history teacher at Haverford High School in Pennsylvania, has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. He has spent his entire 25-year career there, teaching advanced classes in U.S. history and African American studies.

Smith describes himself as a "warm demander" — someone who sets high expectations while surrounding students with love and support. "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 begins each class with a community building exercise, such as asking students to share a song that made them happy. This helps settle the class before moving on to more challenging discussions, like whether the United States should ever enter a war happening far away. "We want to make sure that our students can think critically, that they have empathy, and that they can understand the complexity that goes into making decisions," he said.

Beyond the classroom, Smith takes students to the state Capitol each year to engage with policymakers. The Council of Chief State School Officers, which gives the award, praised his efforts to include multiple perspectives in history lessons.

As Teacher of the Year, Smith will spend a year promoting the important role that educators play in shaping the next generation.