BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Meridian High School teacher Steven Lawrence has been named Washington's 2012 History Teacher of the Year.

Lawrence has been at Meridian High since 1994.

He teaches U.S. history and government, advanced placement U.S. government, current issues, law and society, and comparative religion classes.

He says he tries to share his excitement for history with his students.



Lawrence says when people are ignorant of history and government, corruption can bleed into the system.

Along with the title, Lawrence will receive a $1,000 prize and a chance to be named the 2012 National History Teacher of the Year this fall.

Meridian's library will also receive an archive of history books from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.