PASSING DOWN THE MEMORIES

By SAMANTHA CROUCH

Every year, the eighth graders of Washingtonville Middle School are granted a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  For just a few days, they get to hear first hand experiences from Holocaust survivors.  During this time, the students are not only immersed in history, but they are presented with stories that have the ability to change their lives.  

The idea of the Holocaust Museum was created by Mrs. Wetzel, a Social Studies teacher at the middle school, fourteen years ago.  She started the event in hopes of allowing students to feel a connection to the stories told and the events that occured in WWII.  Before the presentations started, they took the middle school classes to the actual Holocaust Museum.  Bringing the museum to the school then allows every student to gain the experience.  Due to the fact that the war ended over seventy years ago, this is an opportunity that the students do not take for granted.  

On the day of the event, Mrs. Wetzel reiterated what the point of the presentation was before the speaker got up to the podium to tell his story, “It’s been seventy two years since World War II,” she stated, “You will become the witnesses that pass this information along for generations to come.”  The students seemed to sit up a bit more afterwards, understanding that this was not only an incredible opportunity, but also a responsibility they would carry with them for the rest of their lives.  

SAMANTHA CROUCH FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY

The speaker this past Wednesday was Alex Levy, a hidden child in Belgium during the war.  Not only did students get the opportunity to hear his story, but intertwined were the stories of liberators and concentration camp survivors.  The story Mr. Levy weaved spoke of living in a Christian orphanage, hiding from the Gestapo, and he even mentioned freedom riding years later in the sixties.  

Mr. Levy began his story simply stating that the Holocaust is “tangled with the subject of racism ... altogether it’s a disease.”  This message rang true throughout his entire speech and definitely stuck with students and teachers alike.  Going through his story, the positive spin was uplifting, as he made sure to mention that even as a hidden child with no food, toys or any items of material values, he can still remember being happy.  

As the students in the crowd listened intently, one thing was apparent:  this story is one they will never forget.   The museum also takes place each year after school for the community to enjoy, and people always take advantage.  This event may seem small at first, but the impact of a few stories can be monumental in developing compassion in the hearts of children.