FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2024

CONTACT: Kevin Larsen, Media Coordinator, 605-773-6000, Kevin.Larsen@state.sd.us

State Historical Society announces Governor’s Award for History Recipients

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota State Historical Society will be honoring multiple individuals and organizations with awards on Saturday, April 6, during the annual state history conference in Pierre.

JoAnne Bohl of Hartford is this year’s History Teacher of the Year. Bohl has been a history and social studies teacher at West Central High School for 25 years. Among many other achievements, Bohl is being honored for bringing Native American history and culture to the forefront of social studies classes at the West Central School District.

Istvan Gombocz of Vermillion is this year’s recipient of the Herbert S. Schell Award for the best article in “South Dakota History,” the State Historical Society’s award-winning quarterly journal. The Schell Award is named for Herbert S. Schell, an historian and long-time University of South Dakota professor.

Two other organizations and one individual are also being recognized by the State Historical Society with Governor’s Awards for their efforts in preserving South Dakota history. The award winners include Rose Spiers of Deadwood, the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum in Brookings, and the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum in Hill City.

The Saturday awards luncheon is part of this year’s State Historical Society annual history conference, taking place Friday and Saturday, April 5-6 in Pierre. This year’s theme is “Embracing the New Millenium: 25 years since Y2K.” Registrations are still being accepted. Call 605-773-6000 for more information or visit www.history.sd.gov.

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About the South Dakota State Historical Society

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.