The 2026 GenEd Teacher Fellows, February 2026, from the first of numerous meetings before and after their upcoming trip to Armenia.
San Francisco, CA – Fifteen U.S. high school teachers have been selected to participate in the 2026 GenEd Teacher Fellowship Program.
There are now 76 GenEd Teacher Fellows spread across 39 states. The Fellows receive intensive, specialized GenEd training in Armenia and the U.S. on teaching the difficult topic of genocide, the Armenian case, the continuing effects of the genocide, its denial, and its parallels with other genocides. Upon their return to the U.S., the GenEd Teacher Fellows will lead their own teacher-training workshops for fellow teachers during the 2026-2027 school year. The program’s “multiplier” effect has already led to more than 300,000 students receiving this education.
John Allen (Putnam, CT) ~ teaches Civics, AP Government, and Human Rights at Putnam High School. Now in his eleventh year of teaching, John won the 2025 Street Law Classroom Champion national award for teaching legal education within his Civics and AP Government curriculum and was named 2025 VFW Connecticut High School Teacher of the Year.Doug Banwart (Bunker Hill, IL) ~ teaches History at Bunker Hill High School. A National Board Certified educator, he has assisted in developing Bunker Hill’s Advanced Placement program and designed and teaches History of Sports, a course on the cultural and social impact of athletics. He serves as the National Honor Society sponsor and Scholastic Bowl team coach.Carly Bennett (Burlington, VT) ~ heads the English department at South Burlington High School. She co-teaches Holocaust Studies, a year-long elective course, and serves as her school’s Speech & Debate Coach. Bennett was a participant in the Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI) in 2018.Mirshish Boyd (Dallas, TX) ~ teaches all subjects in the Credit Recovery and Acceleration Program at W. H. Adamson High School. With a BA in Journalism and an MA in Education Policy and Leadership from The University of Texas at Austin, she has eight years of experience supporting at-risk students, including helping them become informed, active global citizens. Neill Brandon (Nassau, NY) ~ teaches Social Studies at Taconic High School in Pittsfield, MA. His Master’s Degree in History included a capstone project on the historiography of the Armenian Genocide. Neill was a 2024-25 Museum Teacher Fellow with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and has been teaching a dedicated Genocide Studies course for ten years. Matthew Kim (Honolulu, HI) ~ teaches History at W.R. Farrington High School in Honolulu, HI. A former Fulbright (TGC) and Stanford Hollyhock Fellow, Matthew is dedicated to teaching historical truth and fostering environments where marginalized communities can thrive. He holds an MS in History from the University of Edinburgh and is a graduate of the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. Barry Kirzner (Philadelphia, PA) ~ chairs the History Department at the Kohelet Yeshiva High School and teaches AP US history, AP Government, and Global Issues. He also served as the school’s first Athletic Director, its newsletter editor, as well as its Director of College Guidance. Kirzner also enjoys writing history plays. Randy Martin (Albuquerque, NM) ~ is a US History, Civics, and Reel History teacher at La Cueva High School. A National Board Certified teacher, he was recently named “Global Educator of the Year” by the World Affairs Council. Among other honors, he received the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI) State “History Teacher of the Year” award, which honors outstanding K–12 teachers in every US state. Randy has taught history in numerous foreign countries and also mentors early-career teachers in New Mexico.Carrie McCallum (St. Helens, OR) ~ is an English/Language Arts teacher at St. Helens High School. She holds master’s degrees in teaching and Holocaust and Genocide Studies, a subject she has taught since 2003. She created and teaches a semester-long course on Holocaust and Genocide Literature, a course of her own creation. She uses many of her travels to enhance her knowledge and teaching of genocide and its effects on the human population.Amanda Meyer (Eastvale, CA) ~ is a social science educator with 18 years of teaching experience at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. She regularly leads students on international travel experiences that allow them to connect classroom learning with real-world historical sites and cultures, to help them make informed decisions in a rapidly changing global society. Holding a Master’s degree in Education, she supports future educators as a part-time Assistant Professor at the Sanford School of Education at National University.Steve Muench (Leonia Middle School, NJ) ~ has been teaching 8th-grade world history for 12 years and Holocaust & Genocide Studies for nine years. He has also taught AP Psychology and AP World History. Having traveled the world extensively, Steve brings the world into his classroom, with an emphasis on geography and world heritage. He also directs history, geography, and science bee competitions with International Academic Competitions and coaches the US Geography Team, which competes annually against 45 countries.Ginny Muse (Mt. Sterling, KY) ~ teaches American History and AP European History at Montgomery County High School. She has 14 years of teaching experience, an MA in American History and Government, and an MA in Teacher Leadership. Having participated in several international educator programs, she is committed to using those experiences to find new ways to make history engaging for her students, deepening their understanding of world history.Megan Schaefer (Galesburg, IL) ~ has been teaching history at Knoxville High School for 18 years. She has taught World History, Genocide and the Holocaust, and AP US History. She is a 2023-2024 Museum Teacher Fellow for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She also serves as adviser for her school’s Student Council. Having participated in several travel professional development programs, she enjoys finding creative ways to incorporate those experiences into her classes. Terry Walden (Greenwich, CT) ~ is an English language Arts, History, and Adult Literacy and Education teacher. She created a statewide class on civic engagement for Adult Literacy Learners and served as an advisor on statewide committees for Black and Latin Studies, as well as History/Social Sciences curriculum. Terry has participated in several Fulbright Fellowships internationally. As a licensed attorney, Terry practiced law before turning to teaching in 2003 in New York City.Kathy Zaleski (Arvada, CO) ~ is a high school Social Studies teacher at Northglenn High School. She has taught a variety of courses in her 16 years in education, including English classes for adult refugees, World History, Concurrent Enrollment US History, Sociology, and Civics. She holds two Master’s degrees: one in Language, Reading, and Culture and another in American History. She began her career teaching in North Macedonia as a Peace Corps Volunteer and continues to travel as a way to learn about history, culture, and geopolitics.
The 2026 GenEd Teacher Fellowship Program is being made possible in part by generous grants and donations from:
Haig and Hilda Manjikian $50,000 Anonymous $25,000 Anonymous $20,000 (including corporate matching funds) Anonymous $12,500 Anonymous $10,000 Foundation for Armenian Youth $5,000** Sonia Konialian Aller and Wayne Aller $2,000 Garabed and Ani Kantarci $2,000 Jack and Suzy Koumjian $1,000 Anonymous $1,000 Ara and Leslie Bagdasarian $1,000 In Lieu of Flowers in Memory of Sarkis Tchakmakjian $1313
** The mission of the Foundation for Armenian Youth is to preserve Armenian heritage by proudly supporting a variety of youth programs. Since 1973, it has awarded more than $780K in grants to over 20 organizations and Armenian schools. Learn more about the impact of the Foundation to our community, and how you can support, by visiting FoundationForArmenianYouth.org
