THE HOLOCAUST AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION PROGRAM WRITING AWARDS
IN HONOR OF LEIGH-ANNE HENDRICK
2025 Contest Prompt
Reflect on your own education and awareness of prejudice or antisemitism. How has your perspective changed through your education? What role do you believe young people can play in fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society?
The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators.
The Katz Hirshberg families writing awards, in partnership with the Hebrew Congregation of Chautauqua, and in honor of teacher Leigh-Anne Hendrick, invites Chautauqua County secondary students in grades 9-12 to contemplate the legacy of the Holocaust and its impact throughout history by responding to the following writing prompt:
"Reflect on your own education and awareness of prejudice or antisemitism. How has your perspective changed through your education? What role do you believe young people can play in fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society?"
Entries should be 1000 words or less and can include creative submissions such as poems. Applications will be accepted through Friday March, 14, 2025.
All participants will be invited to a spring awards program at the Athenaeum Hotel.
2023 Winner: Mary Reynoldson
Southwestern Central School
“Never would I have classified myself as a cold or unfeeling person, but by seeing the evil one person can hold toward another, I truly realize and value the open minded idea of acceptance. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you’ve done in the past, it is never too late to embrace kindness and educate yourself so the path toward growth can begin.”
2023 Winner Landon Stormer
Frewsburg Central School
“People can not just sit back and take the attitude of “this doesn’t apply to me” or “this isn’t my people’s story” or “this happened such a long time ago - it’s in the past.” We must always choose to stand up against evil.”
“If we learn from these lessons and refuse to be bystanders, we can make a difference. It starts with all of us as individuals”