A New Jersey teacher was among five in the nation who received the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence.

Theresa Maughan is a social studies teacher at East Orange STEM Academy.  She was in Washington this weekend to accept the Horace Mann Award, which is given to educators with exceptional skill in the classroom with attention to equity and diversity.  

Maughan has a passion for teaching history, making sure her students understand who came before.  

In the 20 plus years they've been giving out the award, she is the first from New Jersey to win it in 10 years and only the third New Jersey resident ever to win.