AUSD students often have opportunities to explore topics that are intellectually challenging and emotionally difficult. Some clear examples of that this month were the activities that two high schools undertook to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Sophomores at Alameda High School attended an assembly in which Paul Schwarzbart, who was born in Austria before the start of World War II, spoke. Schwarzbart’s family fled to Belgium after the 1938 Kristallnacht, but his father was arrested and sent to a concentration camp, where he died after several years.
Schwarzbart was hidden in a Catholic school until liberation, when he was reunited with his mother and grandmother. The family ended up settling in the Bay Area, where Schwarzbart eventually became a teacher and, after retiring, wrote “Breaking the Silence.”
Students at ASTI explored the Holocaust in a different way.
Each student was assigned a real-life victim of the Holocaust, along with details of the victim’s age, background, occupation, schooling, capture and concentration camp assignment. The students were asked to consider changing Facebook or other online account for one day to that of their victim and telling the victim’s story. Students also shared their stories with each other in class.
Alameda students from fifth- through 12-graders have an opportunity to engage in another project related to social justice this month: a citywide poster and poem contest honoring Harvey Milk, the nation’s first openly gay person elected to public office. Milk, who served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, fought for equality and inspired people around the world with his vision of civil and human rights for all. He was assassinated in 1978 along with Mayor George Moscone.
The theme for this year’s contest is one of Harvey Milk’s most famous quotes: “There is hope for a better world. There is hope for a better tomorrow.”
Poems and posters can celebrate Harvey Milk himself or the spirit and vision of Milk by focusing on, for instance, marriage equality, LGBTQ pride, transgender rights, or ideas such as “all genders welcomed” and “everyone belongs.”
Posters should be no larger than 18-by-24-inches. Poems can be any style or length. Entries should be submitted by 5 p.m. April 28 to Gene Kahane, c/o Encinal High School, 210 Central Ave., Alameda, or Books Inc., 1344 Park St., Alameda.
In more youth contest news, we are delighted to announce that AUSD students swept the Alameda County Office of Education’s Tobacco Use and Prevention Education PSA Contest. The theme this year was “You’ll Regret that eCigarette.” AHS students won six of seven video categories, the poster contest, and the audio category, and a student team from ASTI won the photography contest. You can find a link to their work on our home page.
It’s not just the high schoolers who are in the limelight this week.
Lincoln Middle School seventh-grader Caroline Choi was one of five students nationwide who won an essay contest sponsored by Scope Magazine. Caroline’s essay, written in response to a short story in the magazine, dealt with weighty topics of greed, dishonesty, envy, and pride. As a winner, she received a letter from Scholastic and a copy of a Newberry Award book.
Susan Davis is senior manager of community affairs for the Alameda Unified School District. You can reach her at email@example.com.