LATROBE, PA – Paul Haga, C’22, who teaches social studies in the Frederick County Public Schools system in Maryland, was named the Promising New Social Studies Teacher of the Year during the 2025-26 school year by the Maryland Council for Social Studies, Inc.
“I've always worked hard in my career to continually grow and refine my practices and be the best teacher I can be,” Haga said. “Earning the award reinforced the fact that I’m in the right field for me and that I’m putting in hard work, and people around me are seeing it.”
Dr. Colleen Bernard, who serves as supervisor of social studies and student leadership in Frederick County Public Schools, sought to recognize Haga for his tireless efforts and nominated the educator for the honor.
“Paul is a warm and caring demander of the highest effort his students can give,” Bernard said. “He’s a leader who intentionally shares his expertise to strengthen instructional practice while remaining deeply committed to fostering student voice and civic engagement.”
The award also served as encouragement to keep growing, which is reflective of Haga’s attitude toward his life and craft as he avoids complacency. “Winning this was great,” Haga said of the award, “but now I’m looking for the next steps and looking at other aspects in my field where I can improve.”
Born and raised in Frederick, Haga’s educational journey has come full circle as he studied in the classrooms at Saint Vincent College, then returned home roughly 150 miles southeast of the Unity Township campus to live and teach in his hometown.
Despite the Baltimore Ravens playing roughly one hour away from Frederick, Haga has long pledged his allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers and has been attending Training Camp at the College since at least 2005. That sense of familiarity played a role in Haga’s decision to study at Saint Vincent.
“When I toured the campus, it always kind of felt like I knew the place since I’d been visiting for Training Camp for so long,” Haga said. “I also knew a few alumni who always spoke highly of the College, and I figured it was definitely worth applying. I just kind of knew it was where I wanted to go.”
Following graduation from Governor Thomas Johnson High School in 2018, Haga entered Saint Vincent in the fall as an allied health major. “I really found medicine fascinating, and I wanted to work with kids in that area as well,” he recalled. “I was kind of down to either teaching or doing something with pediatrics, and after a year and a half, I switched to being a history major and education minor.”
His teaching emphasis—social studies—was a no-brainer as, during childhood, Haga’s father oftentimes took him to Civil War battlefields, including Antietam, Gettysburg and Harper’s Ferry. “It kind of just always stuck with me,” Haga said, “and it became something that I was really interested in and passionate about.”
Several Saint Vincent professors nurtured that interest and passion, including Dr. Karen Kehoe, a former professor of history. “She really grew my love of history from something I’m passionate about to something I saw as a potential career,” Haga said. “I really enjoyed her classes. She challenged me on the subjects and made me a better historian.”
Dr. Susan Mitchell Sommers, a professor emerita of history at Saint Vincent College, also stands out for Haga. “Her classes weren’t the kind that I was used to in history,” he said, noting he once enrolled in Sommers’ Islamic Civilization course. “It broadened my horizons about history and was just something I didn’t really know anything about, and I absolutely loved that class.”
For Haga’s senior thesis, he evaluated the historical preservation of sites synonymous with slavery leading up to and during the Civil War in Maryland. He studied Needwood, a plantation that has been neglected; L’Hermitage, a 748-acre French-Caribbean plantation and part of the Monocacy National Battlefield; and Sotterley Plantation, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization heritage site dedicated to preserving the full history of the Plantation.
As he advanced to his student teaching experiences, Haga first dove into pre-student teaching one day a week at Norwin High School in Larissa Sturm’s sophomore social studies class. The following semester, Haga conducted student teaching five days a week in Ken Stough’s senior social studies class at Hempfield Area High School. “They were great experiences and I still stay in touch with my co-teachers,” Haga said. “There are also a few students who I taught at Hempfield who now attend Saint Vincent, so that was a fun, full-circle moment for me.”
In addition to student teaching, the Bearcat alumnus has plenty of fond memories looking back at the College. He remembers benefitting from instructors’ more personalized approach to teaching due to small class sizes. “It just made that learning experience even better,” Haga said. “I also played soccer at Saint Vincent for the first two years, so that was a cool opportunity that I never thought I’d have. And then with a well-rounded education, I still have people who talk to me about the fact that Saint Vincent really helped me mature and just have a better sense of the world.”
He also developed a number of lasting friendships at the College, including with his fiancée, Dr. Sarah Centore, C’22.
In addition to the bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in education, Haga holds Pennsylvania and Maryland teaching certifications in social studies for grades seven through 12. In just his first five years in education, he has made a remarkable impact on students, colleagues and the broader school community through his leadership, dedication and commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.
Haga started out as a long-term substitute teacher before landing a full-time instructional role. Early in his career, he was selected to participate in the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program item writing workshop, during which he not only contributed to assessment development but also shared insights that strengthened instruction across his department and district.
Beyond the classroom, Haga demonstrates exceptional dedication to student leadership and civic engagement. He has served as a Student Government Association sponsor and with the Association of Student Councils, mentoring students as they participate in legislative sessions and state conventions. His work reflects a strong commitment to empowering young people to become engaged members of their communities.
Haga often leans back to Saint Vincent when instructing his students as he stresses hospitality and stewardship. “I appreciate all the students that I teach, and I genuinely care for them and want them to hopefully love history a little bit more and also grow into better people,” he said. “I think I really refined my work ethic at college, and I think my professional growth goes back to those roots that I grew at Saint Vincent.”
As a strong advocate for the teaching profession, Haga—who this school year has transitioned from the Urbana Middle School to the high school—offered encouragement to students studying at Saint Vincent to be educators as well as those who are considering it.
“It’s one of the most rewarding careers I can think of. You’re helping other people grow into better versions of themselves and just stronger humans and better learners,” he said. “I think it’s such an admirable position and one that doesn’t get enough love. There will be challenges that you’ll face as a teacher, but lean on your support system, lean on the other teachers in the building and also lean on the belief that you’re there because you care a lot about those kids and you want to see them grow. That’s going to be a challenge, but it’s also part of the reward.”
