University of Georgia professor Dr. Amanda Walls gives a speech to English department co-chair Meghan McNeeley’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies class on Nov. 28 in Room 321. Holocaust and Genocide Studies student Vivian Carabello, a junior, has always tried to teach others about history because she feels it’s important to clear up misinformation about history, specifically the Holocaust. “As high school students, we are able to educate our peers, we can educate the middle schoolers, the kids that are younger than us,” Carabello said. “They might not (have a) full understanding of what really happened. I think (if) it’s something that really happened and you get them (facts) when they’re younger, going into the future, they will be educated.” Photo by Aza Khan
English Department co-chair Meghan McNeeley’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies class hosted guest speakers from the University of Georgia on Nov. 28.
On Nov. 28, English department co-chair Meghan McNeeley’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies class hosted two guest speakers to discuss Anne Frank, a victim of the Holocaust, and the upcoming Anne Frank exhibit at the University of Georgia’s Hillel Student Center. The exhibit will open in January 2024.
UGA Department of Religion professor Dr. Amanda Walls and Director of the UGA Hillel Student Center Jeremy Lichtig, spoke to McNeeley’s students about the exhibit and opportunities to be tour guides for younger children, walking them through the exhibit and creating fun activities to learn about Anne Frank’s life.
“I think (the Anne Frank exhibit is) fabulous,” McNeeley said. “I think it’s really important to have something like that in every community. I know that we have access to stuff in Atlanta, but for a lot of our students that is so far away.”
Various books depicting Anne Frank, a victim of the Holocaust, are displayed on the whiteboard in Room 321 on Nov. 28. Holocaust and Genocide Studies student Emery Shih, a sophmore, felt UGA department of religion professor Dr. Amanda Walls’ talk gave him a better understanding of Anne Frank’s life during the Holocaust. “I thought it was really insightful,” Shih said. “(The talk) helped me understand more about what life was like for Anne Frank and how the conditions were. That helps me grasp a better understanding of how scary it was in the Holocaust, and how much (she) had to protect (herself).” Photo by Aza Khan
Throughout the talk, Walls stressed the importance of getting involved in local organizations like Hillel, a Jewish student organization, because of CCHS’s proximity to UGA.
Throughout the talk, Walls stressed the importance of getting involved in local organizations like Hillel, a Jewish student organization, because of CCHS’s proximity to UGA.
“We would really like to get Clarke Central High School and (its) students involved in programs,” Walls said. “We are an Athens-based program and we’d like to work within our community first, create engagement and help spread awareness.”
For Holocaust and Genocide Studies student Emery Shih, a sophmore, the talk opened opportunities for him and others to expand their knowledge of the Holocaust through invitations to become tour guides for the exhibit.
“I thought (the talk) was really insightful. It helps me understand more about what life was like for Anne Frank and how the (living) conditions were,” Shih said. “I thought the idea of students being (tour guides at the exhibit) seems really interesting to me because I have always loved history and I would love to expand that knowledge and help teach other people about it.”
English department co-chair Meghan McNeeley listens to University of Georgia professor Dr. Amanda Walls speak to her Holocaust and Genocide Studies class in room 321 on Nov. 28. For Holocaust and Genocide Studies student Isabelle Galis, a junior, education about the Holocaust is extremely important. “I took this class, and then my mom told me that her grandfather escaped the Holocaust, so that just affects me on a personal level,” Galis said. “It’s very important that we learn about this so that doesn’t happen again.” Photo by Aza Khan
Holocaust and Genocide Studies student Vivian Carabello, a junior, believes the Anne Frank exhibit will be a great opportunity for young visitors because they will have the opportunity to learn about the exhibit from one of their peers.
“(As tour guides), we (will be) able to connect with (young students), they (are) much closer (in) age, they’ve had similar life experiences, especially if you went to their middle school or their elementary school,” Carabello said. “It’s helpful because they know, ‘It’s someone that’s been where I am a lot more recently.’”
