Current Recipients
The Singer Prize recognizes influential high school teachers who significantly influenced one (or more) of our graduating seniors.
2026 Singer Family Prize Recipients
Four high school teachers who inspired and influenced University of Rochester seniors from the Class of 2026 have been chosen to receive the Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching.
Anne Bestgen
AP Environmental Studies and biology teacher at West Campus High School in Sacramento, CA
Nominated by Ava Somera ’26 (environmental studies)
William Colelli ’98
AP Government and dual credit economics teacher at Olympia High School in Rochester, NY
Nominated by Gulsinam Akhmadzhanova ’26 (psychology and mathematics)
Timothy Sossa
US history teacher at Springfield Renaissance School in Springfield, MA
Nominated by Adryana Ochoa ’26 (linguistics & brain and cognitive sciences)
Mark Sunheimer
Physics and robotics teacher at Marcellus High School in Marcellus, NY
Nominated by Gabriel Hoag ’26 (economics and mathematics)