On Sunday, April 7th, I attended the 10th annual Holocaust Reflection Contest awards ceremony held at Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Holocaust Learning and Education Fund, Inc. at NSU.
Craig R. Weiner, President of the Holocaust Learning and Education Fund, Inc. and the curator of the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection and Resource Center at Nova Southeastern University, expressed the purpose of the contest.
“The Holocaust Reflection Contest was created as a means by which to have many thousands of students learn about the Holocaust and to reflect on what they learn through their research of survivor testimonies. While classroom instruction is obviously vital, a contest such as this is far more effective in reaching so many more students through the use of the internet and giving multitudes of students the opportunity to learn and have the possibility of recognition for their outstanding entries. It’s so important for students and teachers to reflect and think about this history rather than just memorizing dates, names and events. This is the reason we ask students to read survivor testimonies. By reading them, or watching videos of survivors explaining their personal experiences makes us all think about what we just heard or saw and reflect on it. This is essentially experiential learning, which in our view, is far more impactful to the student than simply reading a history lesson.”
The contest drew middle and high school students from across Florida to study the testimonies of Holocaust survivors and reflect on them through poetry, essays, artwork and digital storytelling. The contest provides a creative opportunity to honor and remember the millions of victims who died in the Holocaust.
More than 1,300 student submissions were received this year and the winners are:
Digital Storytelling
High School First Place:
• “Six Million and One”
• Student: Rachell Janowski
• Teacher: Janet Conrad
• School: Rohr Bais Chaya Academy
Middle School First Place
• “Number 610”
• Student: Katherine Kolbar
• Teacher: Shira Greenberg
• School: David Posnack Jewish Day School
High School Second Place
• “Remember Rosie”
• Student: Rylee Schwimmer
• Teacher: Jack Rosenbaum
• School: Spanish River Community High School
Middle School Second Place
• “Solemnis”
• Student: Sebi Timbal
• Teacher: Steven Hammerman
• School: The Greene School
Art
High School First Place
• “… but there must be a time when we fail to protest”
• Student: Sarah Mira
• Teacher: Anncy Pitelli • School: Florida Christian School
Middle School First Place
• “Echoes of Night”
• Student: Ariel Malachovsky
• Teacher: Joshua Bender
• School: Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
High School Second Place
• “The Eternal Jew”
• Student: Lucas Izquierdo
• Teacher: Brian Lynn
• School: Charles W. Flanagan High School
Middle School Second Place
• “Love of Humanity”
• Student: Isabella Cerase
• Teacher: Jill Giancario
• School: Pioneer Middle School
Essay/Poem
High School First Place
• “Never Again”
• Student: Camille Blaker
• Teacher: Richard Ehrlich
• School: Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Middle School First Place
• “Aftereffect”
• Student: Serina Bligh
• Teacher: Shelly Sweeney
• School: Doral Academy Charter Middle School
High School Second Place
• “Echoes of Sorrow”
• Student: Gianni Santa
• Teacher: Suzanne A. Bates-Miranda
• School: F.W. Springstead High School
Middle School Second Place
• “Unforgotten”
• Student: Milena Arthur Gnibus
• Teacher: Marcia Zaldivar
• School: St. Thomas The Apostle
The event’s emcee was Ari Odzer, the education reporter for NBC 6. Among the speakers were Dr. Harry K. Moon, NSU’s president-elect and chief operating officer, Klaus Bormann, consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany, Gabriel Baredes, consulate of the State of Israel, Craig R. Weiner, president of the Holocaust Learning and Education Fund and Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez.
For more information, visit holocausteducationfund.com
