The Holocaust Museum in Naples serves six SWFL counties while telling the truth and building mutual respect

Camryn Pierce, Journey Cook and Kambrie Karvis, students from a homeschool student group, view exhibits during a visit to the museum. COURTESY PHOTO / THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND COHEN EDUCATION CENTER OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Camryn Pierce, Journey Cook and Kambrie Karvis, students in a homeschool group, view exhibits during a museum visit. PERMITTED PHOTO / THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND COHEN EDUCATION CENTER OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

The reading of the “Diary of Anne Frank” by students of the Golden Gate Middle School in 1997 led to the creation of a classroom exhibition entitled “Out of the Ashes”, which is now the Holocaust Museum and Cohen Education Center of. emerged from Southwest Florida.

So it was. Michelle Lee and other language teachers had assigned the reading to their students. They asked social studies teacher David Bell to provide background information on the Holocaust that claimed millions of lives during Hitler’s Nazi regime.

I had the privilege of doing an Education Channel TV interview with Mr. Bell in his classroom in 2000. He told me that “Words did not do justice to the Holocaust. So I let my students reach out to the world to ask about Holocaust artifacts and they have been very successful in obtaining them. ”As they say, the rest is literally history.

The following year, this amazing classroom exhibit was actually converted into the local Holocaust Museum, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary with more than 2,000 items in its collection. And it’s estimated to have reached half a million people over time, including about 300,000 college students.

- Joe Landon is a communications consultant who retired in 2014 as Executive Director of Communications for Collier County Public Schools. Contact him at joelandon@outlook.com.

– Joe Landon is a communications consultant who retired in 2014 as Executive Director of Communications for Collier County Public Schools. Contact him at joelandon@outlook.com.

“We’re raising awareness of this important story, but we’re not just teaching about history, we’re also teaching about humanity and the choices people made then and are making today to be a bystander or an upstander,” says the CEO and President of the Museum, Susan Suarez. “A viewer is someone who does not speak or act when they see intolerance or hatred emerging. They just stand by idly or walk away. But an upstander is someone who takes action and stands up against bullying, hatred or worse. “

Long-time museum volunteer Patti Bloom doesn’t think it’s enough to just say, “Never again. I believe it is up to all of us to encourage people to take action against hate and bigotry. Don’t be a spectator, ”she advises.

“It is important to tell the stories of survivors, liberators, heroes and heroines so that people understand the importance of their own actions when others are in need,” says the museum’s chairman, Stuart Price. “When people have mutual respect and understanding, we are more likely to act kindly to reduce suffering and discrimination.”

Mr. Price prides itself on the age appropriate

Holocaust education programs for high school students in six counties in southwest Florida. The aim of these programs is to show young people their power to change someone else’s life by standing up for someone, raising their voice or showing a little kindness to another person in need. They emphasize the importance of mutual respect and encourage students to reflect on the impact and power of their words and actions, positive and negative, on others.

Sam Parish, the museum’s director of operations and education, is giving student presentations.

“The most common take away from students is a stunned silence,” he says.

“Although students, like adults, are returning to baseline that has improved, if only marginally, I think the effects will remain longer-term and readily available.” Of her beloved museum and programs, longtime volunteer Monica Goodwin says: “You are helping to make this world a better place.”

If you are interested in visiting the museum, know that it is open in Suite 108 at the 975 Imperial Golf

Course boulevard in Naples. Virtual options are also available.

To find out more about events to celebrate the museum’s anniversary, how to volunteer or make a donation, visit www.hmcec.org. |

See similar https://naples.floridaweekly.com/articles/the-holocaust-museum-in-naples-serves-six-swfl-counties-while-speaking-truth-reinforcing-mutual-respect/

The post The Holocaust Museum in Naples serves six SWFL counties while telling the truth and building mutual respect first appeared on Daily Florida Press.

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