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Dr. Greg Wegner, a professor at UW-La Crosse and longtime Bangor resident, was recognized as one of the state’s outstanding history teachers at the state National History Day competition in Madison on Saturday, May 3.

Wegner was awarded the Richard T. Farrell Teacher of Merit Award for innovative history teaching. The honor is bestowed by the State Historical Society on a teacher who has made notable contributions in history education.

Wegner was nominated for the award by Sarah Clement, coordinator of the state National History Day for the Wisconsin Historical Society.

“Greg has been a really active part of National History Day on a whole host of different levels — that is why we wanted to give him this award,” Clement said.

She added that Wegner has not only been instrumental in reaching out to high schools in the area but also in training future teachers in his class at UW-L.

“The class is called methods of teaching history and social sciences and, every so often, I will receive a request from a high school teacher who will mention ‘I was one of Dr. Wegner’s students,’” she said.

Wegner has been active in the National History Day program for 18 years — the last 15 as Western Wisconsin Regional Coordinator. And, to hear him tell it, it’s been a labor of love.

“It’s been a great joy to learn so much from these young historians. I love how they get into primary sources, archives and interview people. The idea is to get them to do what historians do.” Wegner said.

Reached prior to Saturday’s award ceremony, Wegner was humbled by the honor.

“This is really not my award. It should go to all the great teachers in western Wisconsin and to the teachers I’ve learned from over the years — I’m going to stress that at the awards ceremony,” he promised.

The Bangor School District sent five students and their projects to the competition in Madison this year and Wegner said he was impressed by the quality of their work. He’s planning on retiring from UW-L in four years, but his involvement with Bangor and history may actually increase if things work out.

“I’d like to teach gratis for a year at Bangor High School so I could give something back to the community,” Wegner said. “I’ve lived in New York City and in Germany, but the best place in the world to live is right here in western Wisconsin.”