The Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection Contest

Reflecting Back Looking Forward Graphic with barbed wire, blue sky and butterfly

How You Can Engage Your Students

Teachers play a vital role in guiding students through this powerful and transformative learning experience. Although the subject matter is profound and often difficult, many educators find that leading these reflections becomes one of the most meaningful parts of their teaching journey. Life is shaped by the choices we make. This contest engourages students to make thoughtful, positive decisitons as they move forward in life. By participating, you can help your students connect the lessons of the Holocaust to the challenges of today’s world – and empower them to build a more just and compassionate future.

Introduce Holocaust Survivor Testimonies
Begin by sharing Holocaust survivor testimonies to help students understand the human experience of the Holocaust, beyond historical facts.
Help Students Choose a Meaningful Story
Ask each student to select a single Holocaust survivor testimony that resonates with them.
Students may also use the story of a family member who survived the Holocaust.
This story will become the foundation for their reflection and project.
Guide Reflection on Universal Lessons
Encourage students to explore themes such as:
- Perseverance
- Compassion
- Kindness
- The strength of the human spirit in the face of injustice
Encourage Deep, Personal Reflection
Projects should go beyond simply recounting Holocaust events.
Ask students:
- How does the survivor's story challenge or shape your thinking?
- What can we learn about humanity and ourselves through these testimonies?
Guide Students in Creating an Original Project
Each student will submit one original piece in one or more of the following categories:
- Written Expression: Essay or poem
- Digital Media: Video or automated presentation
- Visual Art: Artwork
Projects should clearly show what the student learned about themselves and modern society by studying the survivor's testimony.
Support the Creative Process
Offer feedback and guidance as students draft and revise their work. Students produce stronger, more meaningful entries when teachers actively support and review their work.
Use the Provided Resources
- Refer to the Teacher Checklist to stay organized
- Share the Student Checklist with your students to help them meet all requirements and prepare for submission
Help with Online Submission
Assist students with uploading their projects using the contest's online application.
Students will include the teacher's name in each student's entry.
If your student wins, you win too – teachers of winning students are recognized and celebrated!

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no specific question students must answer. Instead, students should go beyond retelling the historical facts of the Holocaust. They are encouraged to reflect on how the genocide—and the survivor testimony they chose—impacts their personal thinking, values, and choices.

Each project should demonstrate what the student has learned about themselves and contemporary society through the intensely personal yet universally relevant lessons of the Holocaust. For additional guidance, please refer to the Student Checklist or Teacher Checklist.

To enter, students must complete and submit the online application before the deadline, including a successful project upload in one of the accepted file formats.

⚠️ Important: The application must be completed on a computer. It is not compatible with smartphones or tablets.

Students must provide the following:

Full name
Teacher's full name
School name
The county where the school is located
Type of school (public, private, or charter)
Student's email address
Teacher's email address
A short statement about what they learned
Their completed project is in one of the acceptable formats

Yes. Each student may submit one project per category, for a total of up to three submissions:

Written Expression: One essay or one poem
Digital Media: One video or one automated presentation
Visual Arts: One original art piece
Students may not submit more than one project in the same category.

While classmates or family members may assist with a project, each submission must be the original work of a single student. The project should reflect the student's ideas and be inspired by the Holocaust survivor testimony they selected.

Note: Only one student will be recognized as the winner of any selected entry.
The online application includes a space where students can credit contributors (e.g., actors in a video).

Yes. Each student must provide their teacher's name and email address on the application. A teacher's involvement is required for contest participation.

Florida Atlantic is very proud to be the new home of The Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Reflection Contest at FAU

Click here to see the contest award winners!

Objectives: The program aims to engage middle and high school students in meaningful Holocaust education through personal reflection, creative expression, and historical understanding. Key objectives include:

Fulfill Florida's Education Mandate
Florida Statute 1003.42 (1994, amended 2020) requires Holocaust instruction in middle and high schools. Participation in the contest supports compliance with this mandate while offering a rich, impactful learning experience.
Deliver a Powerful Educational Impact
Students go beyond textbook learning by listening to firsthand survivor testimonies. These personal stories help cultivate empathy, social awareness, and a profound understanding of human rights and moral responsibility.
Encourage Creative Engagement
Through writing and art, students reflect on Holocaust history in personally meaningful ways. These creative outlets help students connect past events and current societal issues.
Inspire Future Change-Makers
The contest motivates students to consider the importance of social justice, equality, and individual responsibility, nurturing a new generation of informed, compassionate, and active citizens.

Weiner Holocaust Refelction Contet at FAU

A Meaningful Teaching Opportunity

Teachers Win Too!

In each category – Middle School and High School:
🏆 1st Place Teachers win $500
🥈 2nd Place Teachers win $250
Your guidance makes a difference – and it’s rewarded!

Teachers who submit 10 or more student entries will receive a $25 gift card as a thank-you for participating.

Teachers participating in the Holocaust Reflection Contest often share that it becomes one of the most impactful experiences of their academic year. While it's natural to approach this complex subject with care, especially with younger learners, educators consistently find that the testimonies of Holocaust survivors deeply resonate with students, sparking thoughtful discussion and personal growth.

By guiding your students through this journey, you empower them to reflect on the lessons of the past and consider how those lessons apply to their own lives. Young people are naturally invested in the future – let's help them explore the importance of human rights, social justice, and equality through meaningful acts of personal responsibility.

We can inspire the next generation to build a more compassionate and just world!

Reflecting Through Art, Digital Media, Poetry, and Essays

Inspired by the powerful testimonies of Holocaust survivors, we are reminded of timeless lessons in resilience, empathy, and the unbreakable strength of the human spirit. The Holocaust Reflection Contest invites middle and high school students to explore how these lessons resonate in their lives and shape our diverse society's future.

Through artistic expression – whether in visual art, poetry, essays, or digital media – students are encouraged to share their reflections, emotions, and aspirations. These creative works are meaningful opportunities for others to engage with Holocaust history and deepen their understanding of its lasting impact.

According to results from a 2020 Echoes and Reflections* survey, students exposed to Holocaust education demonstrate higher critical thinking skills and a greater sense of social responsibility, as well as civic engagement, if survivor testimony was part of their experience.

Stories of Survival. Legacies of Inspiration

The compelling stories of Holocaust survivors offer profound wisdom and critical lessons for future generations. The annual Holocaust Reflection Contest challenges students across Florida to engage with these testimonies personally and creatively.

Participants are invited to select a survivor's story that speaks to them and express their reflections through one of the following formats: