Mahopac High School students deepened their understanding of history and human rights through a series of meaningful learning experiences connected to Holocaust Remembrance Day.
In March, Amanda Gambacorta Counihan, Mahopac’s secondary special education department chair, accompanied six students to the Human Rights Institute for High School Leaders, hosted by the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center at Iona University. The full-day leadership program brought together students from more than 40 schools to explore issues of intolerance, prejudice and human rights while encouraging participants to take action within their own communities.
Students attended workshops led by peers and engaged in discussions focused on recognizing human rights violations and developing plans to address them. The experience emphasized the importance of becoming “upstanders,” individuals who speak out and take action in the face of injustice.
Following the visit to the institute, sophomores participated in a special Holocaust Remembrance Day program featuring two guest speakers who shared deeply personal stories connected to the Holocaust.
Joan Poulin, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, spoke about uncovering her family’s history through letters her father preserved, offering insight into the experiences of those who fled Nazi Germany and those who were left behind. Dr. Aliza Levy-Erber, a Holocaust survivor, shared her powerful story of survival as an infant hidden during the war and reflected on the long-term impact of trauma, resilience and the importance of remembrance.
“These experiences give our students a powerful opportunity to connect history to real human stories and reflect on their role in standing up for others,” Gambacorta Counihan said. “It’s important that they not only learn about the past, but also understand how they can make a positive difference in the world today.”
Through these opportunities, Mahopac students were encouraged to reflect on and carry forward messages of empathy, understanding and the responsibility to stand against injustice.
