Written by: Erica Nolan

Golden Stars of David.  Striped uniforms.  Photos of a genocide. Sixty-six years after World War II ended, as part of English II, 240 sophomores met with Holocaust survivors at the St. Louis Holocaust Museum.

“It was shocking how brutal they (the Nazis) were with people and how they just didn’t care at all,” sophomore Kaitlin Taszarek said.

Sophomores read the novel Night as a part of English II curriculum.  Teachers felt the field trip would be an eye opening experience for students.

“For most of them, it’s probably the last opportunity for them to hear a Holocaust survivor speak.  It might bring a touch of reality to what they are reading,” English teacher Marti Buchanan said.

Students felt like they were able to connect with the Holocaust survivor on another level.

“The way she talked, joked and looked reminded me a lot of my grandmother,” sophomore Emily Tomaszewski said.

The experience was both interesting and shocking for students.

“The tour and learning about what the Jewish life was like was really interesting,” sophomore Kevin Wiegand said.

“The pictures of the people in the concentration camps were shocking,” Tomaszewski said.

Teachers received compliments from museum employees about student behavior.

“I was very proud of their behavior because they were very attentive and polite.  They all dressed up and looked nice.  They were great representatives of Francis Howell,” Buchanan said.

Students took much from their experience.  They’re comprehension of this historic genocide improved and their respect for the survivors deepened.

“It made me feel lucky for what I have,” Tazarek said.

“The field trip to the Holocaust museum made me realize that the days are still hard and long,” sophomore Calvin Lippert said,  “but not as hard and long as they used to be.”