At the 27th Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest awards ceremony on Friday, March 13, Meital Kochinski, a sophomore at Northwood High School, secured first place in the prose category. Sponsored by Chapman University, The 1939 Society, The Samueli Foundation and Yossie and Dana Hollander, the annual competition saw entries from more than 200 schools across 32 states and six countries.
As a first-place winner, Meital received a $400 prize, her teacher, Jennifer Guy, received $200, and Northwood received $200.
Additionally, Nianci (Grace) Liu, an eighth grader from Lakeside Middle School, was named a finalist in the art category.
The theme for this year, "Holding onto Hope," draws its inspiration from Gerda Weissmann Klein's memoir. In her book, Klein recounts a moment of hope where she and a friend envisioned the future by wagering on the date the war would conclude and freedom would arrive.
Each student engaged with full-length Holocaust survivor testimonies to learn more about their memories and stories to inspire the students' writings and works of art. Students were tasked to select a word, phrase, or sentence that symbolized an experience that gave the person hope or strength in the midst of the struggle to survive. They then reflected on their choice, explaining why it resonated with them and sharing any insights they gained about the individual.
Students from Venado Middle School and University High School also participated in this year’s event.
Join us in congratulating Meital and Grace on these recognitions!