Mollie Safran Named Mt. Vernon History Teacher of the Year

Mount Vernon has awarded the 2026 History Teacher of the Year to Mollie Safran, a U.S. history teacher from Lightridge High School, part of Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia. Safran is an educator on her school’s Special Education and English Language Leaner’s team, and coaches the largest model UN team in Northern Virginia.

Safran is a leader of our D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice People’s History Curriculum Working Group, and has presented at our 2022 and 2023 Social Justice Curriculum Fairs.

Safran is committed to encouraging her students to think critically, with one student writing:

I used to think there was one right answer in history class, but now I think that how you understand history changes based on how you interpret it.

The Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year Award is presented annually to a history or social studies teacher in the Washington, D.C. area who teaches with creativity and passion, instills a love of learning in students, and deepens students’ understanding and appreciation of history. The recipient receives a cash award of $5,000 and a fully-funded field trip to Mount Vernon for their students.

DCAESJ working group member Ariel Alford was awarded the 2023 Mount Vernon History Teacher of the Year.