Knoch High School social studies teacher Brad Pflugh helps senior Jack Casey with the rules of a board game in his Evolution of Games class Friday. The class has students research, play and evaluate games from a marketing standpoint. Pflugh said it presents opportunities for students more used to playing video games to think critically and interact in a different manner. Pflugh also ties in some games with historical themes. Pflugh, an AP history teacher at Knoch High School, was selected the Pennsylvania winner for Outstanding Teacher of American History. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

A Knoch High School history teacher whose love of history is known to be infectious and whose lesson plans often go beyond the classroom is getting state recognition.

Bradley Pflugh, who has taught history at Knoch for 23 years, was nominated by the General Richard Butler Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for the Outstanding Teacher of American History Contest. He was selected as the Pennsylvania State winner, and is in the running for the national award .

Martha Eberhardt, regent of the Butler DAR, said Pflugh was chosen for his love for history and engagement of students in local Butler history.

“We think he does a great job with students. He’s a great teacher and a great role model, and we’re over the moon the state agreed with us,” Eberhardt said.

Pflugh said he couldn’t believe he was selected at the county level, let alone the state level.

“I couldn’t believe it because it was originally for the county level ... then I was chosen over other DARs in Pennsylvania’s counties,” Pflugh said. “It’s an honor to be selected. There’s 50 states, I’m happy to even get nominated for Pennsylvania.”

Knoch High School social studies teacher Brad Pflugh explains the rules of a board game to senior Marlee Brunner in his Evolution of Games class Friday. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Capturing interest

Pflugh teaches AP European History and American Civil War history for students, and leads the history club at Knoch. As a member of the Butler County Historical Society, he said he often connects Butler County history to his teachings on the Civil War.

“It just happens; it’s the way it is,” Pflugh said. “For Civil War, I’ll talk about local soldiers who went to war from Cabot and Sarver who passed away. I’ll say where they lived, what farm they had, and so on.”

Before the pandemic, Pflugh said he’d take students on local field trips to connect his classroom lectures to the real world. The local history club would visit the Little Red School House and the Senator Walter Lowrie House museum.

“I try to integrate students into activities like history talks, open houses ... I had several kids out at the Halloween event at Cooper’s Cabin, and the history club participated in Wreaths Across America,” Pflugh said.

The key to sparking interest in history, according to Pflugh, is hands-on activity.

“If I can take them somewhere that they can see and touch things they’ve learned about in class, that really changes everything,” Pflugh said. “I try to be energetic in the class room, and I try to relate to them.”

One of his proudest moments as a teacher was when two students were so interested in the Lowrie House in Butler that he took them to an after-school event there. The two students fell in love with it, became volunteers and kept returning for years afterward.

“For five straight summers, they kept doing things there ... now they’re both getting their doctorates in history,” Pflugh said. “It’s not all because of me, but I hope I was part of it.”

Knoch High School social studies teacher Brad Pflugh plays a chess-like game with junior Ethan Bohn in his Evolution of Games class Friday. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Three-time author

Pflugh is the author of three books on local history, “Butler County’s Nine-Month Men,” “Rage, Murder and Execution! The Story of Sam Mohawk and the Wigton Family Massacre” and “Butler County in the Civil War.” All proceeds from the books benefit the Butler County Historical Society, and Pflugh said they were written with the assistance of students and faculty at Knoch.

“Kids would help with rosters of the nine-month men and would go traipsing about to help find headstones in the cemetery,” Pflugh said. “Kids would stay after school to help me.”

Nine-month men refers to men who served in the 134th and 137th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiments for nine-month enlistments.

Knoch High School social studies teacher Brad Pflugh takes attendence in one of his classes Friday. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle

Students get credit

Pflugh said students’ interest in the subject of history keep him enthusiastic.

“The kids keep my engine running every year,” he said. “They’re the ones that have the interest.”

In addition to participating in Wreaths Across America, Pflugh said he will lead students in placing flags by military graves on Memorial Day.

“I try to do so many things with the military. I teach the kids to approach the grave with respect, how to clean them and how to place the flag,” Pflugh said. “It’s neat that got noticed.”

As honored as he is to receive the chance for national recognition as a great teacher, Pflugh put the emphasis on his students.

“The kids deserve the credit. They follow me everywhere,” Pflugh said.

Knoch High School social studies teacher Brad Pflugh. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle