»Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Art & Writing Contest

The Strength of Love and the Will to Survive

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Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Holding on to Hope by Sophie Shinmei
Second Place: Blinded by Confusion by Emma Kozak

Film

First Place: Message from the Stars by Veronica Flack 
Second Place: Through Love by Joshua Choi

Poetry

First Place: Yes, I'm Sure by Dylan Brigulio
Second Place: The Engelina Experience by Chloe Dafforn-Vanderlei

Prose

First Place: An Apple for the Thre of Us by Alejandra Rosas
Second Place: Small Things with Great Love by Emma Acevedo

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High School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Devoted by Aeryn McCalile
Second Place: Solace in Reprieve by Yewon (Violet) Woo

Film

First Place: Renée Firestone: Love through Tragedy by Anna Kunkel
Second Place: Quiet Resistance by Natalee Hunter

Poetry

First Place: The Light in the Darkness by Naama Denan
Second Place: The Apple by Gwen Melish

Prose

First Place: Together by Angelina Morosan
Second Place: The Power of a Promise by Grace Simonian

Turning Memory to Strength
Living with Courage, Resilience and Hope

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Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Tears Can Tell by Cocona Baba
Second Place: Hope in a Hayloft by Bethany Cheung

Film

First Place: Resilience and the Will to Live by Joshua Lieu (statement) (film)
Second Place: Facing the Morning by Michael Pham (statement) (film)

Poetry

First Place: A Streak of Light in a Dark Sky by Leo Chang
Second Place: A Camp Sister's Spirit by Gwyneth Morrell

Prose

First Place: Unwavering Essence, Unwavering Strength by Jacob Sprague
Second Place: Little Things Like That, We Did for Each Other by Logan Langrell

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High School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Wisps of Hope, Flames of Resilience by Min Young Lee
Second Place: Locks of Hope by Alexa Yam

Film

First Place: The Sunflower by Ava Lazar (statement) (film)
Second Place: Everything Changed by Natalia Kłyż (statement) (film)

Poetry

First Place: Candle of Hope by Cayla Dembo
Second Place: Hate Will Never Win by Maile Fowler

Prose

First Place: The Importance of Words by Katie Larson
Second Place: A Woman of Valor by Sara Lebowitz

Sharing Strength, Sustaining Humanity

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Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Silenced Emotion by Mary Jane Pfaff
Second Place: One by Emily Nelmida

Film

First Place: We Live for Each Other by Olivia Brandeis
Second Place: To Live by Rhiannon Jewell

Poetry

First Place: Freedom and Hope by Kaylin Stapinksi
Second Place: Wings that Embraced by Coral Hsu

Prose

First Place: The Power of Promise by Dorothy Laster
Second Place: Staying to Survive by Violet Chen

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High School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Perseverance by Arantza Guerena
Second Place: The Face of a Clock by Bryson Naylor

Film

First Place: It is Worthwhile Surviving by Miruna-Maria Dumitriu
Second Place: Together by Noelle Zepeda

Poetry

First Place: An Inspiring Spirit by Shiri Kaplan
Second Place: Dared to be Different by Angelina Ahrendt

Prose

First Place: Alone but Together by Kristi Ikemoto
Second Place: Dragons by Micaela Martz

Memory Matters
Whose Story Will You Tell?

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Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Goodbye, Mother by Evan Hong
Second Place: In the Face of Hope by Aliena Sutcliff

Film

First Place: To Be Human by Joaquin Domingo
Second Place: Music Can Change the World by Alisa Kangas

Poetry

First Place: A Maroon Hankie by Noa Nerwich
Second Place: Signs by Sean Cronin

Prose

First Place: Sharing: An Offering by John Paul Laster
Second Place: Listen and Remember by Sophia Amparan

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High School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: Divided by Rachel Brinkman
Second Place: Silenced but Not Forgotten by Grace Boihem

Film

First Place: Remind by Yunji Kim
Second Place: Warmth by Ellie Cucullu

Poetry

First Place: Bird by Elena Ashburn
Second Place: Numbers by Jonathan Borowitz

Prose

First Place: Through Deep Snow by Joshua Lewin
Second Place: Sharing What We Know by Michael McPhie

Purposeful Telling: Through Memory to Action

Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: The Shoes That Held Her Captive by Cate McMackin
Second Place: Tears of the Star by Irene Lee

Film

First Place: Regardless of Our Differences by Carly Nguyen
Second Place: Imagine by Kaneiya Desai

Poetry

First Place: If/When by Sophia Harvey
Second Place: From the Ashes by Joana Thomas

Prose

First Place: My Purpose by Grace Min
Second Place: The Smallest Actions by Nicholas Vo

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High School First and Second Place Entries by Category

Art

First Place: The Creation of Connection by Amanda Harris
Second Place: Washed Away by Kyla Korkowski

Film

First Place: Defiance by Chase Martin
Second Place: Just a 13 Year Old Boy by Jonathan Rosario

Poetry

First Place: My Enemy, My Friend by Abigail Stephens
Second Place: The Voice by Ethan Shill

Prose

First Place: Timekeeper by Madeline Gillette
Second Place: A Reason for Survival by Stephanie Markowitz

I Have a Story to Tell
Awards Ceremony Program

Telling it Forward: Making Memory Matter

Event Program

First Place Middle School
ART|"The Unknowing Goodbye" by Sophia Scarsi
FILM|"Telling it Forward: Making Memory Matter" by Amanda Gomez
POETRY|"Your Story" by Grace Aitken
PROSE|"Ordinary People" by Daanesh Jamal

First Place High School
ART|"The Will to Live" by Hailey Shi
FILM|"Memory" by Kenzington Martin
POETRY|"Brother" by Gemma Davies
PROSE|"Separation" by Eunice Lee

Through Discovery to Action: Making Meaning from Memory

Event Program

First Place Middle School Art
"Everlasting Faith" by Erik Zou

First Place Middle School Film
"Do Something" by Sanaia Meneses
Film Statement

First Place Middle School Writing
"Light at the End of the Tunnel"  by Cameron Martin

First Place High School Art
"The Writing on the Wall" by Joshua Sands

First Place High School Writing
"The Flow of Tears" by Caleb Penner

Memories Spoken and Heard: Intersecting Perspectives of the Holocaust

First Place Middle School Art
"Never Again" by Hailey Shi

First Place Middle School Film
"Strengths: Inspired by Ester Wigodsky" by Alexander Kimbrell
Film Statement

First Place Middle School Writing
"Because I Heard You" by Ashton Carroll

First Place High School Art
"Withered" by Hannah Wheeler

First Place High School Film
"See It Through My Eyes" by Jenny Kima
Film Statement

First Place High School Writing
"To Whom This Story Remains Untold" by Justin Johnson

The Courage to Create: Message to the Future with special message from Chava Gins Pressburger, Holocaust Survivor and Artist and sister of Petr Ginz.

First place Middle School Poetry
"And the Snow Still Falls" by Elizabeth Markus

First place Middle School Prose
"Sing a Song, A Song of Life" by Kaitlyn Pham

First place Middle School Art
"Bread of Creation" by Kelly Zhou

First Place High School Poetry
"Who Am I?" by Palak Goel

First Place High School Prose
"Horse Meat" by Hoyeon Lee

First Place High School Art
"Survivor's Symphony" by Elizabeth Elder

Memories Matter: Stories of the Holocaust with guest speaker, Esther Safran Foer, Director, Sixth and I Historic Synagogue and daughter of Holocaust Survivors

First place Middle School Poetry
"Stones" by Gabbi Heckler

First place Middle School Prose
"Blind Trust" by Branan Landau

First place Middle School Art
"In Disguise" by Raeann Guidry-Smith

First Place High School Poetry
"I Remember You, Zelda" by Anthony Madrigal

First Place High School Prose
"Voice That Transcends Time" by Hyunkyung Chun

First Place High School Art
"Broken" by Elizabeth Marlowe

“The Holocaust: Spaces of Memory” with guest speaker, Idele Stapholtz, Holocaust survivor and member of The “1939” Club

First Place Middle School Essay
“Targeted” by Jennifer Parra

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Would I Have Done What You Did?” by Natalie Larson

First Place Middle School Art
“Connecting Pieces of Memory: Past and Present” by Lisa Cho

First Place High School Essay
“Shared Spaces” by Victoria Moyzis

First Place High School Poetry
“Protection” by Sonali Toppur

First Place High School Art
“No Comparison” by Katy Brannigan

“Memory and Meaning” with guest speaker, Curt Lowens, Holocaust survivor and rescuer and distinguished character actor

First Place Middle School Essay
“Sharing Wisdom” by Roger Mendoza

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Worn Threads” by Lindsey Valentine

First Place Middle School Art
“Lonely Hope” Bailey Smith

First Place High School Essay
“Intertwined” by Case Takata

First Place High School Poetry
“69-9-27” by Porter Hahn

First Place High School Art
“Lost Rails” by Angel Chang

“Witnesses to the Holocaust: Identities Shattered-Identities Shaped” with guest speaker, Natalie Weinstein Gold, child survivor of the Holocaust and psychotherapist

First Place Middle School Essay
“Changed in a Moment” by Annie Pankowski

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Would You?” by Shannon Annarella

First Place Middle School Art
“Shattered Innocence” by Christina Trinh

First Place High School Essay
“Selene Bruk” by Gloria Gallardo

First Place High School Poetry
“Rebuilt” by Laura Redmond

First Place High School Art
“Edgar’s Defiance” by Ashley Austin

“Saving Memories: History as Witness to the Future” with guest speaker, Erin Gruwell, educator and President, Freedom Writers Foundation

First Place Middle School Essay
“A Pear of Lessons” by Danielle Spriggs

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Marked” by Elle Gault

First Place Middle School Art
“Lost Hopes” by Shin-Young Park

First Place High School Essay
“In Remembrance There is Only Kindness” by Shelli Bautista

First Place High School Poetry
“Boots” by Clara Mora

First Place High School Art
“A True Reflection of Rose Toren” by Ophelia Yin

“Voices from Yesterday: Letters for Tomorrow” with guest speakers, Felicia Haberfeld, founding member of The “1939” Club and Leon Weinstein, Warsaw ghetto fighter and member of Polish resistance fighters

First Place Middle School Essay
“Speak Up and Make a Difference” by Sahil Thiruvengadam

First Place Middle School Poetry
“This Little Story of Mine” by Julie Zafra

First Place Middle School Art
“Tell Someone” by Kendall Cornell

First Place High School Essay
“Letter to Mrs. Georgia Gabor” by Sheba Plamthottam

First Place High School Poetry
“Thunderstorms” by Jessica Nguyen

First Place High School Art
“Reflections on the Life of Joseph Fenton” by Erin Walsh

“Moments of Decision: Perpetrators, Witnesses, Rescuers” with guest speakers, Dr. Samuel Goetz, Holocaust survivor and author and Sgt. (ret.) Robert Persinger, U.S. Army veteran and liberator

First Place Middle School Essay
“A Nazi Propaganda Tool’s Decision” by Tito Joe Thomas

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Without Regret” by Sonia Ricci

First Place Middle School Art
“Message of Hope” by Laura Mai Beck

First Place High School Essay
“No Other Choice” by Ella Fishman

First Place High School Poetry
“Zoete Eeuwige Hoop (Sweet Hope Eternal)” by Natalie Beisner

First Place High School Art
“Ending Vision” by Edwin Villa

“To Change Our World: Legacy of Liberation” with guest speaker, Gerda Weissmann Klein, Holocaust survivor and author

First Place Middle School Essay
“It Starts with Me” by Gabriella Duva

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Remember…” by Kim Ngai

First Place Middle School Art
“Through My Eyes” by Monique Becker

First Place High School Essay
“It is Time” by Irina Dykhne

First Place High School Poetry
“Mientras Soñaban, Otra Persona de Despertó” by Matthew Adam White

First Place High School Art
“Global Hope” by Marissa Moonilal

First Place High School Art
“A Mother’s Nightmare” by Steven Vander Sluis

“Conscience and Courage: Heroes of the Holocaust” with guest speaker, Thomas “Toivi” Blatt, Sobibor death camp survivor and author

First Place Middle School Essay
“Oskar Schindler and the Key” by Christine McNab

First Place Middle School Poetry
“The Mystery of Beauty: Friedl Dicker-Brandeis” by Zachary Yates

First Place Middle School Art
“Voices of Conscience” by Paulina Pham

First Place High School Essay
“Responding to the Call of Duty” by Irina Dykhne

First Place High School Poetry
“Song of Mother Superior Anna Borkowska. ‘She Who Dared’” by Matthew Adam White

First Place High School Art
“Heroes of the Holocaust” by Sothea Ouch

“Conscience and Community: Choices of Courage” with guest speaker, Pierre Sauvage, child survivor of the Holocaust and award-winning documentary filmmaker 

First Place Middle School Essay
“I am Janusz Korczak” by Brittany Horth

First Place Middle School Poetry
“Walls of Wood and Wire” by Jennifer Thompson

First Place High School Essay
“The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising” by Andrey Finegersh

First Place High School Poetry
“Stirring the Conscience to Love” by Elaine Inoue

“Witness to Humanity: Choices of Courage” with guest speakers, Irene Gut Opdyke, Holocaust rescuer and “Righteous Among the Nations” and Leon Leyson, Holocaust survivor and youngest member of Schindler’s “List”

First Place Middle School Essay
“Life is a Tapestry” by Sarah Kalen

First Place Middle School Poem
“They Would Do it Again” by Aletheia Miyake

First Place High School Essay
“The Ultimate Sacrifice” by Tan Michael Nguyen

First Place High School Poem
“A Lot of Light Where There was Darkness” by Miriam Scatterday

“Voices Across Time: From the Children of the Holocaust to Us” with special guests, Holocaust survivor and author, Gerda Weissmann Klein and poet and writer, Kurt Klein

First Place Middle School Essay
“Dreams” by Irene Padilla

First Place Middle School Poem
“I Will Stand” by Erin Poole

First Place High School Essay
“Day of Sorrow and Hope” by Kate Kestenboym

First Place High School Poem
“To Answer Their Call” by Miriam Scatterday

“One Child’s Voice” with guest speaker Elane Norych Geller, child survivor of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp

First Place Middle School
“Because She Had Hope” by Ann Shin

First Place High School
“A Child’s Story” by Alexandra Toumanoff