Three MHS language arts instructors received a $500 grant this December for their Holocaust Remembrance program, which is put on for the freshman class.     The grant, applied for by Cari Mitchey, Deb Mau, and Jolene Yourist, will go toward supplies and materials for students and those who are involved. More importantly, however, a bulk of the money will go to fund a speaker for the event in order to further the education of the students and enhance the project’s mission of making the Holocaust relevant and real to students.

     Last year’s trial proved that the program was a big success and really made an impact on Monroe’s freshman students. It is based on the book Night by Elie Wiesel, which is a book written on true-life events in the holocaust and is also part of the ninth grade curriculum.

     Last year, students participated in different sessions. The kids were able to choose three different sessions from many which each lasted roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Among these were history, disease and health, books, and simulation activities. One of the activities included students marching the halls with their possessions in hand and being forced to give them up with hopes that students might learn even a portion of the horrors that the Holocaust victims felt..     Mitchey hopes that this year’s remembrance will be an experience that won’t be forgotten.

     Mau stated in anticipation of the event, “I want students to be able to make connections to real life from right inside the classroom. It’s a learning experience that I feel will benefit all of our students.”

     Sophomore Channell Asmaro who participated in last year’s program said she thinks that the idea is an important one for students.

     “I think it opened a lot of people’s eyes and helped them understand what they went through,” said Asmaro.