Michael Soskil

Michael Soskil is an educator, author, keynote speaker, and recognized leader in STEM education, global collaboration, and technology integration. As an elementary science teacher at Wallenpaupack South Elementary School, Soskil encourages students to use curiosity and scientific inquiry to address real-world challenges.

Named Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, Soskil focuses on making learning meaningful for every child and empowering both students and teachers to serve as positive change agents in their communities. He has presented on STEM education, global collaboration, and technology integration for teachers and educational organizations worldwide.

Soskil's classroom serves as a model for global, empathy-driven education. He has facilitated live connections between students and peers in more than 90 countries, including sessions with the International Space Station. In one project, students from the United States and Greece collaborated with children in Nairobi's Kibera neighborhood and partnered with Vestergaard to raise funds for water filters, providing clean water to two schools and 3,000 residents. His students have received international attention for initiatives such as designing a bridge for a rural village in Africa and launching social good projects outside of school. Soskil's work has brought him to the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, the United Nations, and other global venues to speak with educators, students, policymakers, social innovators, and philanthropists about teaching and learning.

Soskil has received several honors in education, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching from the White House and the National Science Foundation. He is a two-time finalist for the Global Teacher Prize, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Teaching. His message of student empowerment and teaching through empathy has reached audiences of teachers, policymakers, business leaders, and students around the world.

Beyond the classroom, Soskil is an author and advocate for teacher-led education reform. He co-authored the book "Teaching in the Fourth Industrial Revolution" and edited the anthology "Flip the System US: How Teachers Can Transform Education and Save Democracy." Soskil also hosts the "Education for a Better World" podcast. He co-founded Take Action Global, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering students and teachers to take action for social good.

Soskil is a founding organizer of EdCamp NEPA, an annual professional learning event for teachers, and serves on advisory boards for several NGOs and nonprofit organizations, including as vice president of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Teachers Advisory Committee. Whether addressing policymakers, educators, or global audiences, Soskil presents an evidence-based vision for education rooted in empathy, equity, and the belief that every student can make a difference.