UpStanders

Pre-planning: The Holocaust Center will meet with school representatives prior to the start of the program to establish goals and review the baseline survey.  The survey will be sent out by the school, completed by students anonymously and results will be tabulated by the Holocaust Center.  At no time will results be shared with anyone but the school contacts.  This will establish measurement points to be evaluated throughout the program.  

Year 1: (6th Grade) 

Meaning Behind Words & Symbols:  Students will be introduced to how words and symbols were used by the Nazis to influence communication and create a negative, anti-Jewish culture.  These concepts will be related to concerns about bullying today.  

Field Trip to Holocaust Center:  Students are introduced to Holocaust history in a way that leads to an investigation of human behavior and an understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen. They also explore how bias can escalate into violence and discover the power of speaking out against bullying. Due to current public health concerns, a virtual field trip experience will be offered. 

Transforming Bystanders to UpStanders:  Students are given a toolkit for how to recognize bullying and learn safe ways to intervene in bullying situations. The key to empowering students is transforming bystander behavior into ‘UpStander‘ behavior.  

Year 2: (7th Grade) 

Adopting Rescuer Character Traits:  Thousands of lives were saved during the Holocaust because of rescuers who were willing to take risks to protect their friends and neighbors. This presentation reviews their traits to help students see these characteristics within themselves. Students will be challenged to reflect on the qualities and achievements of rescuers from the Holocaust while comparing them to rescuers throughout history and today. 

Speaker Presentation:  Under normal circumstances, a renowned speaker is brought in to engage with the students in an assembly style (full grade level) presentation.  The speaker focuses on their personal testimony regarding their own experiences with being different, bullying, and the importance of UpStander behavior.  Due to current public health concerns, the same message will be delivered, but without the physical assembly component.   

*All in-classroom session can be arranged in person or virtually. 

Additional Programs: 

Upon request, the Holocaust Center can provide additional resources including teacher trainings, Prejudice Reduction and Education Program (PREP) to individually tailor education programs for young people who have been involved in hate crimes or other incidents involving prejudice, a parent/guardian newsletter, and enrichment activities for after students complete the two year program.