By Bette Zaret, Holocaust Education Initiative
A Japanese proverb says “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”
Kelly Rozelle teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History and Holocaust Education, Honors. She is the current Social Studies Department Chair at Venice High School in Sarasota County. She is also a great teacher!
Rozelle passionately inspires her students to become more knowledgeable, to think critically, to become confident with good character, and to learn about the past, all while understanding how the past can inform the present.
As recognition of her extraordinary contributions in the 12 years since she started teaching history, Rozelle has been named the Sarasota County Teacher of the Year for 2025. Having earned that distinction, Rozelle will represent district educators throughout the 2025 calendar year and will serve as the district’s nominee for state Teacher of the Year.
A continuous learner, Rozelle participates in the Federation’s Professional Development scholarly lectures. She received a Federation scholarship to participate in the Classrooms Without Borders Poland Personally trip in 2023 and she is currently enrolled in the Yeshiva University Fish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies program, which will earn her an Advanced Teacher’s Certificate in Holocaust Education.
The consummate history and Holocaust educator, Rozelle, created and teaches Venice High School’s History of the Holocaust course, the only year-long Holocaust course in Sarasota and Manatee County school districts.
“I am very passionate about teaching students about the Holocaust. The intention of my course is to spread awareness of the atrocities of the Holocaust and to give a voice to those who cannot tell their story themselves. Sadly, there are still ongoing struggles with antisemitism and bigotry throughout the world. As an educator, I have the opportunity to teach my students the importance of tolerance, acceptance, and what it means to be an upstander,” said Rozelle.
Here is what some of Rozelle’s students had to say about their teacher:“Since taking this course, I’ve learned more about the Holocaust than I ever knew before joining. History has always been an important part of my life, so to be able to have an amazing teacher like her has been an honor. Her respectful teaching style has allowed my peers to learn in a judgement-free environment. At the time of writing, she is teaching us about Germany in the 1930s, just after Kristallnacht. For the occasion, she arranged for an original boxcar that transported Jewish people during the Holocaust, to be on display at our school. It was surreal seeing such an impactful piece of history up close,” said Ryan Mallonee.
“Ms. Rozelle’s Holocaust class is an amazing class. The class provides an extremely helpful insight to my generation, allowing us to see this much-needed side of history. Holocaust education remains essential to the past and future of human society. We do not solely learn about the events of the Holocaust either. We do focus on the hatred of the Jewish populace, but we also learn about victims of other lesser-known genocides around the world so we can be aware, making sure nothing like this ever happens again,” said Tyler Macri.
Congratulations Kelly Rozelle; you inspire us all!
For more information about the Federation’s Holocaust Education Initiative and how we help support teachers and their students, click here.