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The New York State Board of Regents has announced Great Neck North High School Principal Dr. Dan Holtzman as the recipient of the 2024–25 Louis E. Yavner Teaching Award. This award is presented annually to an educator in New York State who has made an outstanding contribution to education about the Holocaust and other violations of human rights. 

During his eight years as Principal of North High, Dr. Holtzman has spearheaded several programs to elevate Holocaust education and combat anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. North High’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program, participation in the Names, Not Numbers® Holocaust Oral History Film Documentary, visits from Holocaust survivors and a world-renowned Holocaust scholar, and partnerships with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County are just a few examples of the initiatives that have been implemented under his leadership.

“Whether guiding his students through Holocaust education or leading his school as a No Place for Hate Gold Star School, Dr. Holtzman exemplifies what it means to lead with vision and purpose,” praised New York State Regent Roger Tilles during the awards presentation in Albany on Jan. 14, 2025. “He teaches not only history but also the importance of empathy, the strength of diversity, and the power of standing against hate.”

Dr. Holtzman’s efforts and influence extend beyond the walls of North High School. He has served on district-wide committees, led workshops, and helped organize community-wide events including “By Leaps and Bounds: Great Neck’s Leadership in Educating Against Antisemitism and All Forms of Hate,” in February 2024.

Dr. Holtzman also shares resources with colleagues across the county as President of the Nassau County High School Principals Association, and he has been instrumental in establishing the Suffolk-Nassau Education Advisory Committee in support of Holocaust education throughout the region.

The Board of Regents established the Louis E. Yavner Teaching and Citizen Awards to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to New York State education about the Holocaust and other violations of human rights. The award is named for the late Regent Emeritus Louis E. Yavner, who created a lasting legacy that emphasizes the importance of education in fostering awareness and understanding of these critical historical events, and promoting tolerance, justice, and humanity.

Dr. Holtzman holing his award alongside Commissioner of Education Rosa, Regent Tilles, and Chancellor Young

New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty A. Rosa, New York State Regent Roger Tilles, and Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Lester W. Young present Dr. Dan Holtzman with the Louis E. Yavner Teaching Award on Jan. 14 in Albany.