The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC), and the Jewish Museum Milwaukee are proud to partner on a contest that encourages middle and high school aged students to draw lessons from the Holocaust. This contest is generously sponsored by the Habush Family Foundation.
Eligible Participants: 7-12th grade students
2020 Topic: What is the most important lesson from the Holocaust for us to learn today, in 2019/2020? In responding to the prompt, draw on specific examples from Holocaust history about events, survivors, or rescuers.
Submission Deadline: March 2, 2020 Extended to Monday, March 9, 2020 at 11:59pm CST
Contest Guidelines: View printable PDF here.
Scoring Rubric: View printable PDF here.
Cover Sheet: View printable PDF here.
Teacher Guide: View printable PDF here.
Suggested Resources:
– local, Wisconsin Holocaust survivor testimonies
– United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
2019 Topic: Base your submission on the testimony of a local, Wisconsin Holocaust survivor. Students who have had the opportunity to hear from or interview a Holocaust survivor in person may respond to that experience instead.
Photo: 2019 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
2017 Topic: Choose an example of survival, resistance or rescue from the Holocaust that has an impact on you. Explain how it influences the way you behave in the world today. Be sure to give historical details of your examples in your essay.
Photo: 2017 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
2016 Topic: How has learning about the Holocaust influenced the way you act, the way you look at the world, and/or the way that you treat others? In your answer use specific examples about events, groups, people, and/or survivors from the Holocaust.
Photo: 2016 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
2015 Topic: Hate is rampant in the world today. Describe two lessons you have learned from studying the Holocaust that can help fight hate. Use specific examples about events, groups, people or survivors from the Holocaust that inspire each of these lessons.
Photo: 2015 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
Some of the materials for the Writing and Art contest have been adapted from Chapman University’s Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, presented by the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education, in partnership with The 1939 Society. We are grateful for their support and collaboration.