For Braden Wilson, history was always a passion. However, it wasn’t until sixth grade that she was driven to teach. She fell in love with the way her teacher would “teach her shoes off,” and make history come alive through stories. This drive was cemented by later experiences filled with worksheets and open-note tests. As she saw peers zone out in their desks, Wilson knew she could make them love history if she was their teacher.

Wilson was a Palmetto Fellow and Anderson University Teaching Fellow, where she was the 2014 Social Studies Teacher Candidate of the Year. She has a master’s degree in teacher leadership from Walden University, as well as a master’s in administration and supervision from Anderson University. She was the 2023 Palmetto Middle Teacher of the Year, and the 2024 Anderson District One Teacher of the Year. Now in her 11th year of education, Wilson teaches eighth grade social studies and serves as a certified mentor at Palmetto Middle School, located in Williamston, South Carolina.

Wilson believes teaching history provides students with opportunities to explore what they love while making sense of the world around them. She discovers student interests and cultivates engaging experiences that make history relatable for every learner, hoping to inspire students to make their own unique mark on history. Wilson prides herself on integrating multiple subject areas into project-based learning activities. Fostering responsible, productive citizens who make positive contributions to society (and future history books!) will always be her goal.