Gilroy High School history teacher Lauren Piraro has just been awarded the Outstanding Rookie Social Studies Teacher of the Year for 2021 from the California Council for the Social Studies (CCSS).   As CCSS Awards Chair Rebecca Valbuena explained in her award letter, Piraro’s “exemplary skills, dedication and commitment to high quality social studies education” make her an exceptional recipient of this first-year teacher award. 

UC Irvine Historian Andrew R. Highsmith is a specialist in modern U.S. history with particular interests in metropolitan development, public policy, racial and economic inequalities, and public health.