»Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Art & Writing Contest
Winning Entries from Past Contests
“Everyone is a winner. Students, teachers, parents and our society are all beneficiaries.
As are Holocaust survivors. Survivors benefit because their stories are absorbed by
young minds who will be witnesses to the future”
— William Elperin, President of The 1939 Society, a division of Holocaust Museum LA
Holding on to Hope (2026)
March 13, 2026
Guest Speaker
Catie Chase
Carried by Hope: My Grandparents' Stories of Survival
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Reaching for Love by Audrey Ho
Second Place: Hope Between the Lines by Jackelyn Voegtly
FILM
First Place: Stay by Kate Yamasaki
Second Place: Holding onto Hope by Rohan Kataria
POETRY
First Place: We Dance in a Striped Dress by Bethel Bernier
Second Place: Small Enough to Hold by Aaron Knoll
PROSE
First Place: Counting Days by Saanvi Lanke
Second Place: What Cannot Be Taken by Viana Ghaderi
High School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Caged Hope by Alma Miller
Second Place: Still, He Sang by Seylah Bae
FILM
First Place: Sustenance by Madeline Thach
Second Place: 2,194 Days by Brendan Bui
POETRY
First Place: The Path He Ran by David Ramos-Reyes
Second Place: Letters of Aspiration by Laura Batista
PROSE
First Place: Mirrored Soul by Meital Kochinski
Second Place: Postcards for Survival by Natalie Hong
What Do You Bring When You Don't Know Where You Are Going? (2025)
March 14, 2025
Guest Speaker
Alexandra Zapruder
Bring Your Heart: Facing Uncertain Times and Learning from the Past
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Tapestry of Scorched Sorry and Eternal Hope by Lily Xu
Second Place: Straining for Songs of Hope by Dawne Tsui
FILM
First Place: She Taught Me How to Read in the Attic by Hannah Needham
Second Place: A Spark of Hope by Lucas Menendez
POETRY
First Place: The Strength Within by Anabelle Lee
Second Place: Because of You by Charlotte Morrison
PROSE
First Place: Never Forget by Ashley Kwon
Second Place: An Intangible Hope by Lindhan Pham
High School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Holding on to a Miracle by Audrey Hess
Second Place: Love Survives by Esther Oh
FILM
First Place: Voice by Anthony Samoylov
Second Place: In Our Hearts by Téa Vu
POETRY
First Place: The Lifeline of Language by Katim Gossaye
Second Place: Carrying the Past and Chasing the Future by Adina Tariq
PROSE
First Place: Carrying What Matters by Janiny Maldonado
Second Place: A Sense of Belonging by Amanda Gomez
Answering the Call of Memory: Choosing to Act (2024)
March 15, 2024
Guest Speaker
Nadia Murad
Memory in Action
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: The Hope in Hopelessness by Faith Pelz
Second Place: Will to Survive by Raina Kim
FILM
First Place: Don't Think Twice by Lucas Menendez
Second Place: Blossoming Memories by Han Lai
POETRY
First Place: The Chance by Hannah Fung
Second Place: The Clouds of War by Olivia Morrison
PROSE
First Place: Mourning Silence by Isabelle Tran
Second Place: The Most Dramatic Item -- So Must We All by Chloe Carper
High School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Hope is Never Lost by Jiyun Woo
Second Place: Panis Vitae by Alexia-Irulan Mandache
FILM
First Place: The Last Word by Ariella Pelton
Second Place: Until One Day ... by Lelatasiosamoa Fa'atutau'pule'ese's Siufanua
POETRY
First Place: Unbreakable Bonds by Mercy Uchegbu
Second Place: In Remembrance by Elisha Kurian
PROSE
First Place: Storyteller by Norah Chowdhury
Second Place: Through My Mother's Eyes by Isabella Aftabi
The Strength of Love and the Will to Survive (2023)
March 10, 2023
Guest Speaker
Glenn Kurtz
A Life Shaped by Love
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
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
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 (2022)
March 11, 2022
Guest Speaker
Esther Safran Foer
I Want You to Know We're Still Here
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
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
Second Place: Facing the Morning by Michael Pham
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
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
Second Place: Everything Changed by Natalia Kłyż
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 (2021)
March 12, 2021
Guest Speaker
Peter Feigl
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
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
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
Memoru Matters: Whose Story Will You Tell? (2020)
March 13, 2020
Guest Speaker
Paula Lebovics
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
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
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 (2019)
March 8, 2019
Guest Speaker
Eva Nathanson
A Child's Memory
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
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
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
Messenger of Memory: What Will Your Message Be? (2018)
March 9, 2018
Guest Speaker
Eva Brettler
Through the Eyes of an Eight-Year-Old
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Believe by Amy Arenas
Second Place: A Streetlight of Hope by Nicole Nguyen
FILM
First Place: Identity by Yoosung Jung
Second Place: Messenger of Hope by Kimberley Sanchez
POETRY
First Place: Goodbye by Caliana Kanaan
Second Place: Remember by Freya Howcroft
PROSE
First Place: Justice in the Hands of Humanity by Alexandra Hamm
Second Place: Betrayal by Melodie Yates
High School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Humanity by Kristen Landsman
Second Place: The Little Tin Cup by Sage Taber
FILM
First Place:Not Forgotten by Nicholas Franklyn
Second Place: All it Takes by Gwendolyn Trautman and Lauren Helner
POETRY
First Place: Your Memory by Emily Kuwaye
Second Place: I Have Lost My Rose-Tinted Glasses by Jamie Serin Doo
PROSE
First Place: Strips of Paper by Eumee Lee
Second Place: Finding a Voice by Katherine McPhie
I Have a Story to Tell (2017)
March 10, 2017
Guest Speaker
Esther Safran Foer
How Will I Know Who These People Are?
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: From Old to Young: A Story to Remember by Kaylee Takenaga
Second Place: Hope Through the Eyes of a Child by Sadie Ngo
FILM
First Place: Invisible by Yunji Kim
Second Place: Pain of Silence by Andrew Carlson
POETRY
First Place: Ashes by Charlotte Casey
Second Place: Precious Treasure by Isabel Kehoe
PROSE
First Place: Lives of Color by Lyndsey Issa
Second Place: Warmth in Others by Dominick Spano
High School First and Second Place Entries by Category
ART
First Place: Night of the Broken Glass and Broken Hearts by Ashlyn Elggren
Second Place: Hand in Hand by Rachel Chae
FILM
First Place: My Letter by Hailey Shi
Second Place: One Person Can Make a Difference by Kenzington Martin
POETRY
First Place: I don't know what to say by Emily van Oudenhove
Second Place: rules for a language recovering from genocide by Sabina Holzman
PROSE
First Place: Mine to Tell: Sol Messinger's Story by Lillia Velau
Second Place: The Luxury of Oblivion by Megan Fu
Telling it Forward: Making Memory Matter (2016)
March 4, 2016
Guest Speaker
James L. Doti
Looking Backward--And Forward
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
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
High School First Place Entries by Category
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 (2015)
March 5, 2015
Guest Speaker
Jack Pariser
From Escaping to Precluding Genocide
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Everlasting Faith by Erik Zou
FILM
Do Something by Sanaia Meneses
WRITING
Light at the End of the Tunnel by Cameron Martin
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
The Writing on the Wall by Joshua Sands
WRITING
The Flow of Tears by Caleb Penner
Memories Spoken and Heard: Intersecting Perspectives of the Holocaust (2014)
March 7, 2014
Guest Speaker
William Elperin
The Indesctructible Spirit
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Never Again by Hailey Shi
FILM
Strengths: Inspired by Ester Wigodsky" by Alexander Kimbrell
WRITING
Because I Heard You by Ashton Carroll
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Withered by Hannah Wheeler
FILM
See It Through My Eyes by Jenny Kima
WRITING
To Whom This Story Remains Untold by Justin Johnson
The Courage to Create: Message to the Future (2013)
March 8, 2013
Guest Speaker
Chava Ginz Pressburger
The Courage to Create
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Bread of Creation by Kelly Zhou
POETRY
And the Snow Still Falls by Elizabeth Markus
PROSE
Sing a Song, A Song of Life by Kaitlyn Pham
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Survivor's Symphony by Elizabeth Elder
POETRY
Who Am I? by Palak Goel
PROSE
Horse Meat by Hoyeon Lee
Memories Matter: Stories of the Holocaust (2012)
March 2, 2012
Guest Speaker
Esther Safran Foer
My Journey to the Holocaust
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
In Disguise by Raeann Guidry-Smith
POETRY
Stones by Gabbi Heckler
PROSE
Blind Trust by Branan Landau
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Broken by Elizabeth Marlowe
POETRY
I Remember You, Zelda by Anthony Madrigal
PROSE
Voice That Transcends Time by Hyunkyung Chun
The Holocaust: Spaces of Memory (2011)
March 4, 2011
Guest Speaker
Idele Stapholtz
Why Am I Here?
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Connecting Pieces of Memory: Past and Present by Lisa Cho
POETRY
Would I Have Done What You Did? by Natalie Larson
ESSAY
Targeted by Jennifer Parra
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
No Comparison by Katy Brannigan
POETRY
Protection by Sonali Toppur
ESSAY
Shared Spaces by Victoria Moyzis
Memory and Meaning (2010)
March 5, 2010
Guest Speaker
Curt Lowens
Choose Your Part Well
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Lonely Hope Bailey Smith
POETRY
Worn Threads by Lindsey Valentine
ESSAY
Sharing Wisdom by Roger Mendoza
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Lost Rails by Angel Chang
POETRY
69-9-27 by Porter Hahn
ESSAY
Intertwined by Case Takata
Witnesses to the Holocaust: Identities Shattered-Identities Shaped (2009)
March 6, 2009
Guest Speaker
Natalie Weinstein Gold
Who Am I?
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Shattered Innocence by Christina Trinh
POETRY
Would You? by Shannon Annarella
ESSAY
Changed in a Moment by Annie Pankowski
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Edgar’s Defiance by Ashley Austin
POETRY
Rebuilt by Laura Redmond
ESSAY
Selene Bruk by Gloria Gallardo
Saving Memories: History as Witness to the Future (2008)
March 7, 2008
Guest Speaker
Erin Gruwell
Becoming a Catalyst for Change
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Lost Hopes by Shin-Young Park
POETRY
Marked by Elle Gault
ESSAY
A Pear of Lessons by Danielle Spriggs
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
A True Reflection of Rose Toren by Ophelia Yin
POETRY
Boots by Clara Mora
ESSAY
In Remembrance There is Only Kindness by Shelli Bautista
Voices from Yesterday: Letters for Tomorrow (2007)
March 9, 2007
Guest Speakers
Felicia Haberfeld
Leon Weinsten
Our Letters to You
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Tell Someone by Kendall Cornell
POETRY
This Little Story of Mine by Julie Zafra
ESSAY
Speak Up and Make a Difference by Sahil Thiruvengadam
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Reflections on the Life of Joseph Fenton by Erin Walsh
POETRY
Thunderstorms by Jessica Nguyen
ESSAY
Letter to Mrs. Georgia Gabor by Sheba Plamthottam
Moments of Decision: Perpetrators, Witnesses, Rescuers (2006)
March 10, 2006
Guest Speakers
Samuel Goetz
Robert Persinger
Remembering Ebensee: Survivor and Soldier
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Message of Hope by Laura Mai Beck
POETRY
Without Regret by Sonia Ricci
ESSAY
A Nazi Propaganda Tool’s Decision by Tito Joe Thomas
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Ending Vision by Edwin Villa
POETRY
Zoete Eeuwige Hoop (Sweet Hope Eternal) by Natalie Beisner
ESSAY
No Other Choice by Ella Fishman
To Change Our World: Legacy of Liberation (2005)
March 11, 2005
Guest Speaker
Gerda Weissmann Klein
A Potato and an Oscar
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Through My Eyes by Monique Becker
POETRY
Remember… by Kim Ngai
ESSAY
It Starts with Me by Gabriella Duva
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Global Hope by Marissa Moonilal
A Mother’s Nightmare by Steven Vander Sluis
POETRY
Mientras Soñaban, Otra Persona de Despertó by Matthew Adam White
ESSAY
It is Time by Irina Dykhne
Conscience and Courage: Heroes of the Holocaust (2004)
March 19, 2004
Guest Speaker
Thomas "Toivi" Blatt
Sobibor--Courage in Action
Download the brochure
Download the awards ceremony program
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ART
Voices of Conscience by Paulina Pham
POETRY
The Mystery of Beauty: Friedl Dicker-Brandeis by Zachary Yates
ESSAY
Oskar Schindler and the Key by Christine McNab
High School First Place Entries by Category
ART
“Heroes of the Holocaust by Sothea Ouch
POETRY
Song of Mother Superior Anna Borkowska. ‘She Who Dared’ by Matthew Adam White
ESSAY
Responding to the Call of Duty by Irina Dykhne
Conscience and Community: Choices of Courage (2003)
March 14, 2003
Guest Speaker
Pierre Sauvage
Why Le Chambon Matters to Me
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
I am Janusz Korczak by Brittany Horth
POETRY
Walls of Wood and Wire by Jennifer Thompson
High School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by Andrey Finegersh
POETRY
Stirring the Conscience to Love by Elaine Inoue
Witness to Humanity: Choices of Courage (2002)
March 1, 2002
Guest Speaker
Leon Leyson
One Act of Courage
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
Life is a Tapestry by Sarah Kalen
POETRY
They Would Do it Again by Aletheia Miyake
High School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
The Ultimate Sacrifice by Tan Michael Nguyen
POETRY
A Lot of Light Where There was Darkness by Miriam Scatterday
Voices Across Time: From the Children of the Holocaust to Us (2001)
March 15, 2001
Guest Speakers
Gerda Weissmann Klein
Kurt Klein
Middle School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
Dreams by Irene Padilla
POETRY
I Will Stand by Erin Poole
High School First Place Entries by Category
ESSAY
Day of Sorrow and Hope by Kate Kestenboym
POETRY
To Answer Their Call” by Miriam Scatterday
Once Child's Voice (2000)
March 13, 2000
Guest Speaker
Elaine Norych Gellar
Memories of Bergen-Belsen: One Child's Voice
Middle School First Place
ESSAY
Because She Had Hope by Ann Shin
High School First Place
ESSAY
A Child’s Story by Alexandra Toumanoff