The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is now accepting applications for its annual Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out essay writing contest.
The contest, focused on students speaking out in support of diversity and inclusion, has engaged an estimated 30,000 student participants across 12 Northeast Ohio counties and awarded $1 million to students and schools in scholarships and anti-bias education grants over the last 10 years.
Each year, through the generosity of a donor, the Maltz Museum gives out $100,000 in scholarships, awards and anti-bias education in recognition of sixth through 12th grade upstanders in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties.
Each year, a new theme is selected for students to consider. This year, the museum honors the memory and influence of one of the most widely known young writers in history, Anne Frank. As a Jewish teenager living in hiding during the holocaust, Anne Frank wrote:
How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straight away!
The application asks students to consider:
“Over 75 years later, what can be learned from Anne’s perspective on human nature? Can everyday, average people change the world? Think about your own life. Have you witnessed or experienced acts of injustice, racism, bigotry or discrimination? How were you impacted by what you experienced, saw, or heard? What did you do, or what will you do, in response to these circumstances in order to create justice and positive change in your community?”
In 500 words or less, students are encouraged to share their experiences and submit their essay by the deadline based on grade category:
Grades 6-10
ESSAYS DUE: Wednesday, January 9, 2019; 11:59 p.m.
Grades 11 & 12
ESSAYS DUE: Wednesday, January 16, 2019; 11:59 p.m.
For more information, visit maltzmusuem.org/stop-the-
