Brian Betesh is in his 19th year as a sixth grade social studies teacher at Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury, Connecticut. A proud graduate of Danbury Public Schools, Betesh has dedicated his career to giving back to the community that helped shape him. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history and social sciences from Eastern Connecticut State University, a Master of Science in secondary education from the University of Bridgeport and a Master of Arts in American history from Western Connecticut State University.

Betesh believes middle school is about creating memorable experiences that inspire students to collaborate, innovate and lead. This philosophy has guided the development of several student-driven initiatives. Together with his students, he co-founded Park 21, a club dedicated to improving school culture. He also co-created SEVEN, a project-based learning class where students design and implement projects that make a real impact on their community.

Betesh and his students created Rogers That!, a podcast with more than 100 episodes connecting students with community leaders, professionals and alumni to explore career paths and establish local partnerships. He also designed the ROARcording Podcast Studio and the Bella Patterson Innovation Lab, named in honor of a former student, to support project-based learning. As the school’s DonorsChoose Ambassador, Betesh has helped teachers secure more than $500,000 in classroom resources for their school.

His teaching philosophy is simple: Every student has the potential to do big things, and his role as an educator is to create opportunities for them to shine.