AUGUSTA — The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine is accepting applications for annual scholarships and awards through April 8. Winners will be presented awards at the annual meeting planned for Sunday, June 5, at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, according to a news release from the center.

In addition, six Holocaust Exhibit Scholarships will be awarded in 2016 and featured in an exhibit at the Michael Klahr Center.

This year, as a recipient of a University of Maine at Augusta Presidential Mini-Grant, the HHRC is able to offer two $500 and four $250 scholarships to students in conjunction with its upcoming exhibit: “Those People … Well They’re Not People at All”: Children’s Art, Music and Literature of the Holocaust, on display at the Klahr Center April 22 through July 1.

The scholarships will be awarded to the individuals who create a written essay, original video, visual art, performance-based theater, music or dance, or any other creative response in answer to the following question: Why is it important that the remembrance, history, and lessons of the Holocaust be passed to a new generation?

Winning submissions will be included in the HHRC’s spring exhibit. These scholarships are open to middle, high school and University of Maine System students.

The Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership was created in honor of the HHRC’s founding mother, Gerda Haas. Gerda inspired many with her passion for human rights education. A Holocaust survivor originally from Germany, Gerda worked for many years as the librarian at Bates College. In the late 1970s, Governor Longley appointed Haas to the State Board of Education. While serving on the board, she learned that students weren’t being taught about the Holocaust in Maine schools. Haas not only identified a critical educational void, she took action to rectify it. The Holocaust and Human Rights Center welcomes the opportunity to recognize and honor an individual who, like Haas, has demonstrated excellence and initiative in human rights education and leadership. The center welcomes nominations from the public, center staff and board members. The recipient will be recognized on June 5, 2016, at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine’s Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting will be held at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth.

The Lawrence Alan Spiegel Remembrance Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship that is awarded annually to a graduating high school senior who resides in Maine, and who has been accepted at any accredited Title IV-eligible college or technical school. To apply, students are asked to submit an original essay that addresses the following question: Why is it important that the remembrance, history, and lessons of the Holocaust be passed to a new generation?

Three Mathilda Schlossberger Outstanding Student of the Year Awards are available each spring. The award is given to one student applicant in each of the following grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12. The Schlossberger Award recognizes students who have produced an exceptional piece of original writing, fiction or non-fiction, or an unusually expressive work of visual art, media, or performance relating to a human rights issue.

For teachers, the Holocaust Educator Professional Development Grant is a grant funded through the generosity of Dr. Julius Ciembroniewicz. The grant provides financial support to an outstanding Maine teacher — at any grade level, public or private — who is committed to Holocaust and human rights education. Awarded annually, the $500 grant must be used to acquire knowledge or develop skills that enhance the recipient’s effectiveness as a teacher.

For an application, visit hhrcmaine.org and email submission to infohhrc@maine.edu or mail it to: Michael Klahr Center, 46 University Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 before April 8.

From its home at the Klahr Center on the UMA campus, the HHRC presents a wide variety of films, discussions, exhibits and special events for members of the UMA community and the people of central Maine. In addition, the HHRC brings free educational programs to schools and community groups throughout the entire state. The HHRC’s varied programs reflect the organizational mission: “We use the lessons of the Nazi Holocaust and other genocides to combat prejudice and discrimination in Maine and beyond. We encourage individuals and communities to reflect and act upon their ethical and moral responsibilities in our modern world.”

For more information about the HHRC, visit hhrcmaine.org, call 621-3530, or email infohhrc@maine.edu.

Copy the Story Link