Source: Sussex Academy
Sussex Academy eighth graders visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. March 25 thanks to the generosity of Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli and a substantial grant from the Jewish Federation of Delaware.
Reading teacher Alyssa Graham organized the trip in coordination with the reading of the novel “Night” by Elie Wiesel.
“This trip will help to deepen our understanding [of the novel] by providing authentic artifacts, survivor testimonies and historical context that bring the events of the book to life,” Graham said. “Seeing the exhibits firsthand will help us connect emotionally to Wiesel’s experiences and gain a deeper appreciation of the historical realities he describes.”
Visiting the museum had a profound impact on students. Wesley Knudsen said the class was able to witness what unchecked hatred towards the innocent can extend to, and Izik Soto said violence can only lead to more hatred. Too many suffered for no good reason, said John Paul Yablonski.
Corey Trench agreed. “While I was standing in the cattle car, I felt fear for the people who were once taken to the concentration camps on that car, and realized how my fear was nothing compared to what they were feeling at the time,” he said.
Ava Allfather said everyone should leave the museum with a new perspective on life. Kylie Doughty said the overall mood was really sad. “The pain people went through is hard to imagine,” she said.
“The Nazis took people and twisted them into inhuman things both physically and in the eyes of the public,” said Carter St. Amand.
“Terrible things can happen when we stereotype and have intolerance for people who are different from us,” said Ella Marquez.
The trip originated after Warren Rosenfeld, owner of Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli, expressed an interest in sending as many Delaware students as possible to visit the museum. Rosenfeld connected with local districts to offer a donation to make this happen, and paid for entrance into the museum.
Additionally, The Jewish Federation of Delaware formed a relationship with Sussex Academy through a grant opportunity, including generous funding that was used for charter bus transportation, lunch for all students, books and other resources for student use.
Sussex Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Georgetown, Del. Its mission is to foster academic achievement and social responsibility in a small school environment where students participate in a highly accelerated college preparatory program that prepares them for the technological and global mindedness needed for the 21st century and that instills ethical conduct and service to others in their day-to-day lives.
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PHOTO COVER: Sussex Academy eighth graders visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum March 25, thanks to sponsors Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli and the Jewish Federation of Delaware. (Photo Courtesy Sussex Academy).
