Bethel Park teacher continues deep delve into Holocaust education

March 2, 2026 - 19:57

Photographs displayed in Leigh Ann Totty’s Bethel Park High School classroom offer students a window into her profound commitment to Holocaust education. These images capture her travels to significant historical sites across Europe, serving as powerful teaching tools that bridge the gap between textbook lessons and tangible history.

Among the most poignant is a photograph of Terezín, a small town in the Czech Republic located approximately 50 miles north of Prague. This site was once the location of the Theresienstadt Ghetto, a Nazi transit camp and propaganda tool used during World War II. Totty’s firsthand experience at such locations informs her curriculum, allowing her to convey the scale and human impact of the Holocaust with authentic detail and reverence.

Her ongoing dedication involves continuously integrating these experiences into classroom discussions and projects. By sharing her personal journeys to memorials and former camps, Totty aims to make this critical history resonate more deeply with her students. She emphasizes the importance of remembrance and the lessons that can be drawn from one of history’s darkest chapters, fostering a sense of empathy and moral responsibility in the next generation. This approach ensures that the stories of the victims and survivors are honored and that the imperative of "Never Again" remains a guiding principle for her students.