Where are you from?
I am from Columbia, SC

Where do you teach and what subject did you teach?
I taught high school social studies in South Carolina for 19 years until 2020 when I transitioned to the position of Executive Director of the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust. My main role is directing educational programming for teachers, schools, and community groups throughout the state as we believe Holocaust education is important to creating a population with the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and commitment to promoting a society free of prejudice and discrimination.

How did you get involved with the JFR?
I first got involved with JFR by attending their summer institute at Columbia University several years ago.

What drew you to the organization and its programming?
JFR’s programming is of the highest quality as they are determined to tell the history of the Holocaust and the valuable stories of those who rescued Jews with a dedication to appropriate pedagogy and methods taught by preeminent scholars in the field of Holocaust history and education.

What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
The most compelling this I learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow was that a teacher’s role in the classroom is invaluable to the development of Holocaust remembrance and learning.  JFR’s dedication to investing in teachers as scholars of the Holocaust enables teachers to have the confidence and knowledge to create impactful lessons that will resonate with their students beyond the classroom.

What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
My favorite memory is being in the midst of educators who were as passionate about Holocaust education as I was, both in terms of the other teachers I participated with and also the historians that were involved.

How do you feel the fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The fellowship was a springboard for me becoming more involved in Holocaust education in my school and my state, so much so that it started my path to more involvement with our state council where I am now the executive director.

Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
JFR’s work is invaluable to educators and its enduring impact on teachers will positively influence tens of thousands of students each year.

Where are you from?
Eatontown, NJ

Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
Currently I am a Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for the Asbury Park School District.  I arrived at this post 4 years ago and introduced an elective course on the high school level “Holocaust and Genocide” which is offered to any high school student who wishes to take the class.  Prior, I taught Holocaust and Genocide studies for 15 years on the secondary level before accepting a post at Kean University as the Director of the Holocaust Center.

How did you get involved with the JFR?
My involvement began when my mentor, Gerry Melnick, asked me to apply to the summer program. I attended the Alfred Lerner summer seminar at Columbia University many moons ago which enabled me to travel to Germany and Poland with Robert Jan Van Pelt along with the other Lerner fellows.

What drew you to the organization and its programming?
The organization and programming are on an intellectual level that is more engaging than other PD sessions I’ve attend. The opportunity to learn a deep and robust historical perspective allows educators to dive deeply into content therefore providing them with the opportunity to create pedagogical approaches to student learning that is unparalleled.

What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
The most compelling thing I’ve learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow besides the historical content, is how to engage a community of like-minded educators from across the country in meaningful discussions of history, memory, and social justice that transcends time and space. The network of professional friends that I have made as a Fellow are irreplaceable.

What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
My favorite memory is traveling to Germany and Poland to visit various sites. Each site featured a lecture or other engagement piece that provided a rich explanation of the area. Sharing this rigorous academic and professional experience with educators from across the country provided a bonding opportunity second to none. The academic discourse that resulted nightly allowed participants to access Holocaust related content on an emotional level.

How do you feel the fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The opportunity to meet Holocaust survivors and righteous gentiles was one I will never forget. I had the opportunity to meet Irena Sendler during my visit. Her story of courage, strength and willingness to defy odds for the sake of humanity is one all humans should emulate daily. I often think about the powerful stories that exemplified courage, strength, and the willingness to stand against oppression, and I share them with colleagues, students and my son.

Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
The JFR provides a rich opportunity for individuals who are interested in learning how to create inclusive communities through the study of Holocaust history. The historians, speakers, survivors and rescuers offer unique insight of the historical past and challenge those today to create and forge pathways for a just world. The importance of this type of work cannot be overstated.