Exploring 250 Years of Freedom: K-12 Educators From Around the State Selected for the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship
Elizabeth Muller, a Social Studies teacher at Riverside Middle School, has been chosen as one of an elite group of educators in the state - the 2025 Freedom Fellows.
She has been selected as a 2025 America 250 NC Teacher Fellow by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Muller is one of fifteen exceptional middle and high school educators from each region of North Carolina selected for the 2025 Fellowship, representing varied backgrounds, experiences, disciplines, and locations.
“This fellowship will provide teachers with tools and resources to help students understand our state’s history and the important role it played in the American Revolution,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Throughout 2025, we are focused on connecting our department’s educational resources to as many teachers and students as possible through robust America 250 NC programming, including this fellowship.”
In a thematic and cross-disciplinary approach to history education, the America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship will broaden its scope beyond just the years of the American Revolution as Fellows study how inhabitants of North Carolina throughout the last three centuries have interacted with the nation’s most cherished ideal: freedom.
Fellows will visit NC. Historic Sites around the state engage in virtual learning throughout the seven-month fellowship to deepen their historical scholarship and enhance their teaching practices. This opportunity also aims to create a learning community where educators can network with other historians, scholars, cultural institutions, and authors from around the state.
The Fellows will also play a pivotal role in advising DNCR on meeting the evolving needs of K-12 students and teachers. Their insights will shape the implementation of North Carolina’s America 250 initiative and its accompanying resources in classrooms statewide.
For Muller, it’s about much more than being recognized.
“As a proud native of North Carolina, I’m incredibly excited to be selected as an America 250 Fellow. This opportunity means a lot to me—not just because I’ll get to represent Martin County, but also because I’ll be able to dive deeper into the rich and complex history of this great state,” she said. “I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to connect people to the past, and I’m looking forward to learning more, sharing what I discover, and helping shine a light on the voices and events that have shaped both North Carolina and our country. It’s an honor to be part of something that will help bring history to life for future generations.”
According to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, this unique, seven-month professional development initiative for K-12 educators is part of the state’s America 250 NC programming and will help ensure classrooms all around the state mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in engaging ways.
Misty Rushing, principal at Riverside Middle School, describes why she sees Muller being an excellent fit for this recognition.
“For Mrs. Muller, teaching Social Studies is not just a job, it is her calling. She has a sincere desire to instill a love of history in her students. Mrs. Muller does this with discussion, storytelling, and hands-on lessons where students discover information through their own research,” according to Rushing. “She supports students inside and outside the classroom and seeks to expose them to things from the past and how they have shaped the future.”
The America 250 NC Teacher Fellowship is sponsored by the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources in partnership with Carolina K-12. To learn more about DNCR’s America 250 NC initiatives, visit