Charles Vaughan The National Council for the Social Studies has named Richland Northeast High School’s Charles Vaughan, a social studies teacher who also teaches in RNE’s iLink magnet program, its 2010 Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year. The award, announced on July 9, will be presented in November at the NCSS annual conference in Denver.

“I am humbled and honored,” Vaughan said. “It’s not something I earned entirely on my own. The support I get from RNE and the social studies department has been critical. This is a school where we all put together.”

In addition to being an NCSS Teacher of the Year, Vaughan is a National Board Certified Teacher, qualified to teach on the Advanced Placement level, and working on an Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction at the University of South Carolina, where he also earned his M.Ed. in secondary social studies. He is the immediate past president of the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies and a current teacher– consultant with the South Carolina Geographic Alliance.

“We are fortunate to have teachers such as Charles on our staff,” said Ralph Schmidt, RNE’s principal. “It’s our goal to encourage our teachers to make connections beyond the classroom and to be involved in their professional organizations. When they succeed on this level, we are especially proud.”