Annual Holocaust essay and art contests celebrate young heroes

From staff reports

The theme for this year’s Spokane Community Observance of the Holocaust writing and art contests is “Young Heroes of the Holocaust.” Middle school and high school students from the region are invited to write an essay or poem, or create a work of art, that responds to the theme.

During the Holocaust, as the European Jewish community was being annihilated, there were people who were brave enough to try to help the Jews, organizers explain in the contest information. One of those people was Spokane’s Carla Peperzak, who as a teenager worked with the Dutch Underground and helped save more than 40 Jewish people.

For the Eva Lassman Memorial Writing Contest, students should write about at least two young heroes of the Holocaust. Students need to explain how Nazi domination changed the lives of the young heroes and motivated them to act despite grave risks, as well as identify personal lessons learned in their study of the Holocaust.

For the ninth annual Jessica Stein Memorial Art Contest, students should create art influenced by the lifesaving actions of one or more of the young heroes of the Holocaust. Art entries must be accompanied by a brief statement that describes the actions of the heroes who inspired the art.

For both contests, the organizers have online resources to use.

The statement for art contest entries should be emailed by March 15 and the artwork delivered on March 17. Winners will be notified by April 8.

Writing contest entries are due by April 14, and winners will be announced June 3.

Winners for both contests will receive scholarships, with high school winners awarded $400, $250 and $100, and middle school winners awarded $250, $150 and $75. First-place winners will be published in The Spokesman-Review.

To access the resources and for more information about the contest and submission guidelines, visit spokanetbs.org/yomhashoah.