Shelby Anderson – LBHS history teacher (and history princess) sparks inspiration
By DIANNE RUSSELL
A self-proclaimed history princess, Laguna Beach High School (LBHS) history teacher Shelby Anderson came very close to her dream of becoming a Disneyland princess by being selected as one of the winners of the Walt Disney 100th anniversary Teacher Celebration. Although not considered royalty, many parents and students think teachers belong in that sacred realm.
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Courtesy of Shelby Anderson
Walt Disney 100th Anniversary Teacher Celebration
Anderson was invited – as one of 100 exceptional teachers who reflect the creativity and imagination of Walt Disney – to attend a one-of-a-kind teacher event. Out of the more than 7,900 applicants, Anderson was among the 100 selected to be treated to a four-day, three-night stay at the Disneyland Resort to experience the Disney 100 celebration. An added bonus was a chance to visit the Disney Imagination Campus workshops and offerings.
“I am honored to be recognized by the Walt Disney Company and appreciative that I have the support of my school and colleagues to be able to provide creative and imaginative opportunities for my students to learn,” Anderson said. “I am further honored to represent my school and community.”
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
Shelby Anderson in her history classroom at LBHS, where she teaches both freshmen and juniors
Anderson explained the application process, “In order to be recognized for this honor, I had to write an essay highlighting ‘Imagination and curiosity as powerful problem-solving tools and describe example(s) where I brought wonder, creativity and imagination to life in my curriculum and inspired my student(s) in new ways.’”
A section excerpted from her essay reveals important insights in her teaching process, “Developing empathetic, resilient, and innovative members of society are values that I provide my high school students opportunities for, and one unit where I have fostered these character traits is studying World War II. This period of history is one that provides many stories for my students to connect with and find inspiration from everyday heroes who overcame some of America’s biggest challenges.”
There’s no doubt that in her classroom, creativity and imagination run wild. Anderson employs WWII history reenactments, using authentic uniforms and artifacts, to engage her students. (Aside from her history gig at LBHS, she’s also a coach for Mock Trials).
The reenactments started with her own personal desire for a hobby. She saw the SoCal WAC group on Instagram and was interested. “I’ve always loved to dress up,” she said. “I love to go to estate sales searching for vintage clothes and artifacts, it’s like a treasure hunt.”
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Courtesy of Shelby Anderson
Anderson in a reenactment at an event
Her application essay stated, “I have been required to be resourceful and innovative to keep my students engaged during the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a member of The Historical Unit of Southern California (HUSC), I am a reenactor with the Women’s Army Corps and seek to educate the public on American history through the use of original uniforms and artifacts. I brought this passion to my students by hosting a variety of Zoom extra credit events where students would get to interact with World War I and World War II reenactors and see history as close to first-hand as possible. Through these events, students got to learn about conditions for soldiers, home front experiences, uniforms and tools, and even take a virtual ride in a WWII Willy’s Jeep.”
As students slowly returned to school, Anderson still sought to make her classes as interactive as possible. “When we were able to return to the classroom, I invited other members of our reenactment group to speak to our students about the Civil War and its own pandemic of the Spanish flu. My female reenactors spoke to students about Civil war dress (including showing the students and applying all the layers of petticoats and dress to me).”
As more and more venues opened up as the pandemic calmed down, Anderson worked to develop relationships with museums and venues in the area and provide opportunities for students to engage with the HUSC’s reenactors in real life. She has since taken on a board position with the nonprofit and is their Education Outreach coordinator.
“Service is close to my heart. If I hadn’t become a teacher, I might have gone into social work or nonprofit management,” she said.
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