DAR selects Ortega as outstanding teacher

COEUR d’ALENE — Janey Ortega, a history teacher at River City Middle School, was recently honored by the Lt. George Farragut Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) with an Outstanding Teacher of American History award.

Ortega was formally recognized with the award during a school assembly on Feb. 5 by members of the local DAR chapter led by Chapter Historian Kim Brown.

Ortega was chosen as the winner based on her exceptional work and achievement as a teacher. The chapter also endorsed Ortega in the state contest of the Idaho DAR.

“In teaching U.S. history, I am able to create an environment where history is relevant to the students by creating engaging, hands-on experiences that students can link to their own lives,” Ortega said.

The mission of the DAR is to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism.

Ortega, a 2008 Lake City High School graduate, earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Gonzaga University in 2012. She is in her seventh year teaching at River City Middle School, where she “goes above and beyond to connect with her students on a personal level,” said Vice Principal Emily Wells.