Florida Atlantic University’s Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education (CHHRE) recently held its annual Educator Awards Dinner at the Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center. The event recognized K-12 teachers who have contributed to Holocaust, genocide, and human rights education in South Florida.
The 2024 Gutterman Family Outstanding Holocaust Educators were honored during the ceremony. This year’s recipients included Hannah Levitt from McFatter Technical High School and Lisa Schuurmans, an instructional specialist for Secondary Learning, both from Broward County Public Schools. Lisa Brown of Lake Worth High School represented the Palm Beach County School District.
Now in its 16th year, the award acknowledges educators who make a significant impact on their schools and communities through teaching about the Holocaust and related subjects. According to organizers, it highlights those “who actively, by their example and through teaching these difficult subjects, strengthen South Florida students’ world-citizenship and capacity to uphold the dignity of all people.”
The award is funded by Arthur Gutterman. His support helps maintain CHHRE’s community programs as well as professional learning opportunities for educators.
CHHRE operates as a not-for-profit organization within FAU’s Peace, Justice and Human Rights Initiative. Its mission is to promote respect for all people through study of topics such as the Holocaust and genocide. The center depends solely on private donations to offer professional development programs for teachers, classroom resources for students, community events supporting state-mandated Holocaust instruction requirements (FL.ST 1003.42), a summer institute for educators, an annual trip to the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., among other activities.
CHHRE serves K-12 educators across public, private, charter, parochial and Jewish Day Schools in Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Martin counties.
For more information about CHHRE or its programs visit www.fau.edu/artsandletters/pjhr/chhre or contact Linda Medvin at 561-297-2929 or lmedvin@fau.edu.
