Florida Atlantic University announced on Apr. 17 the recipients of its Holocaust Reflection Contest, which invited middle and high school students to create original works in response to a survivor’s story.
The contest, sponsored by FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, asked students to reflect on what they learned about themselves and modern society through the experience of Holocaust survivors. The initiative aims to encourage young people to engage with history and consider its relevance today.
High school winners included Danielle Eliaz from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for first place in Written Expression, Ava Gurspan from David Posnack Jewish Day School for second place in Written Expression, Katie Zuniga from Charles W. Flanagan High School for first place in Digital Media, Paulency Merove from Suncoast High School for second place in Digital Media, Sofya Titova from Cypress Bay High School and Sophia Klein from David Posnack Jewish Day School who tied for first place in Visual Arts, and Dayna Huynh from Suncoast Community High School who took second place in Visual Arts.
Middle school winners were Sophia Zann from Saint Marks Episcopal School (first place Written Expression), Lisa Bowers from Beachside Montessori Village (second place Written Expression), Ari Kliksberg from David Posnack Jewish Day School (first place Digital Media), Cristian Espinoza from Pioneer Middle School (second place Digital Media), and Ashton Somer Lees from Parkway Christian School (second place Visual Arts).
This year marks the contest’s debut at Florida Atlantic University as part of the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Museum of South Florida. The museum will be located within the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building currently under construction at FAU’s Boca Raton campus. Planned features include a recital hall, exhibition gallery, digital displays such as “Dimensions in Testimony,” a grand lobby, education centers focused on human rights, and modern classrooms.
For more information about the contest or upcoming programs related to Holocaust education at FAU, visit the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection Contest at FAU | Florida Atlantic University.
