LINCOLN — Wednesday’s all-school assembly came as a surprise for Lincoln Lutheran students and teachers.

Media and department of education officials stood in the middle of the gym. Teacher Nathan Bassett was initially among the confused… then he saw some familiar faces.

“I didn’t know anything until I saw my wife and two of my daughters," Bassett said. "Then I was like, ‘oh, ok.’”

Bassett got word over the summer that he was chosen as Nebraska History Teacher of the Year, but he didn’t know he would be honored in front of the whole school.

He thanked his colleagues for pushing him and said he’s grateful for the students.

“You’re the reason that I get up in the morning and I come to school and I plan the things I do," Bassett said. "I try to provide opportunities for you to learn so that when you leave here you are prepared, not just for college, but for a Christian life of service.”

Bassett has taught at Lincoln Lutheran for 27 years and applied for the award at the urging of his department chair. He teaches US history, government, contemporary issues and Old Testament theology.

“I think perspective that these students can get is really important and I try to do that in my classes," Bassett said. "I don’t necessarily focus on just the here and now because you can’t understand here and now until you go back 50, 500 sometimes years and you can see the trends.”

Winning the state award now puts Bassett into the competition for National History Teacher of the Year.

The state award comes with a $1,000 prize and helps out the school. Lincoln Lutheran will now receive history books and educational materials from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.