Andrew Bencsko is an artist/design educator who has been teaching graphic design for over twelve years at the High School of Art and Design, a Career and Technical Education (CTE) school located in upper midtown Manhattan. Trained as a painter, he worked as a graphic designer for over thirteen years before switching to art education. Andrew received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and his Masters of Art Education in Teaching at the School of Visual Arts. Upon graduating he was asked to join the staff of the graduate department where he taught Technology in Art Education for six years. Andrew has been recognized as an artist receiving a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and recognized as an Emerging Artist from the Monmouth Museum (2019). As an educator where he was voted UFT's CTE Teacher of the Year from his colleagues at Art and Design (2013) and was a Top 40 Finalist for the Big Apple Awards Teacher of Excellence (2014).
He has written the course curriculum for sophomore, junior and senior graphic design at the High School of Art & Design and as of the Fall 2014, Andrew teaches senior AP 2D Design specializing in graphic design. In 2015, Andrew participated on a ten-month long Design Thinking Action Research Project whose goal was to “to improve teaching and learning using the design process as a framework and strategy for creative problem solving and life-long learning”. As a result of this research, Andrew has acted as both participant and facilitator in the NAEA’s Summer Studio Design Thinking collaborative workshop since 2017.