Dorseyville Middle School Teacher Named Educator of the Year

By Bonnie Berzonski

Dorseyville Middle School literacy teacher Scott Vensel has been named the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s Educator of the Year for 2025-2026.  The award recognizes outstanding commitment to Holocaust education and fostering understanding among students.

According to a letter from Emily Loeb, the director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, Vensel has spent nearly two decades engaging students in the study of the Holocaust.

“His teaching inspires students to reflect deeply on the dangers of hate, the power of propaganda, and the relevance of the Holocaust in today’s world,” Ms. Loeb said.  “His student-centered, story-driven approach highlights the lives of Holocaust victims and survivors, making the history accessible and human.”

Vensel’s teaching methods have even inspired the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s own programming.  In 2023, he was recognized by the center as a Righteous Among Neighbors honoree.  He also was selected to attend the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous’ summer institute in June of 2022, where he became an Alfred Lerner Fellow.

At Dorseyville Middle School, Vensel founded the LIGHT Center.  The center is a humanities makerspace that serves as a dedicated hub of remembrance, advocacy, and action, connecting students to transformative experiences.  During the past few years, the LIGHT Center at DMS has held exhibits on World War II, Chief Guyasuta, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The LIGHT Center at DMS is a project of the LIGHT Education Initiative, a program of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.  

As part of the award, Vensel will receive $2,000, and Dorseyville Middle School will receive $1,000 to support and advance Holocaust education.

The Holocaust Educator of the Year award was established to recognize and encourage excellence in Holocaust education in the tri-state area. Vensel was honored as part of the Holocaust Center’s annual Waldman Arts and Writing Competition Award Ceremony, which was held on May 12, at Chatham University.