During the 24th annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest awards ceremony on Friday, March 10, Woodbridge High School ninth-grade student Naama Denan was awarded first place in the high school poetry category. In addition to Denan's prestigious award, two other IUSD middle and high school students and their teachers were also recognized as contest finalists. IUSD Board Members Lauren Brooks and Katie McEwen, and Superintendent Terry Walker were in attendance.
This year’s theme was, “The Strength of Love and the Will to Survive.” Categories for this international contest included art, film, poetry and prose.
IUSD's awardee and finalists are:
- Woodbridge High School teacher Karen Briner and ninth-grad student Naama Denan (First Place HS Poetry).
- Lakeside Middle School teacher Brandie Hayungs and seventh-grade student Gayatri Sivakoti.
- University High School teacher Griffee Albaugh and ninth-grade student Cameron Weng.
Each student engaged with full-length Holocaust survivor testimony to learn more about their memories and stories to inspire the students' writings and works of art. Specifically, students were asked to reflect on survivor stories and to choose a specific word, phrase or sentence that referenced a memory of love from before the Holocaust or an experience of love during the Holocaust that became a source of strength in the struggle to survive.
Our outstanding young scholars were entrusted with an individual’s memories and explored them through their creative works. Congratulations to all IUSD schools and students who participated and to our finalists.
Sponsored by Chapman University, The 1939 Society, The Samueli Foundation and Yossie and Dana Hollander, the contest featured more than 7,000 national and international participants. To learn more about the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, click here.