O'Neill High School Group Travels to DC, Receives Grant

Over Spring Break, The O’Neill High School “Holocaust Remembrance Project” travelled to Washington DC for the fourth time in five years. This year’s group, sponsored by Holocaust Literature teacher Katrina Gotschall, included Andrew Burival, Vanessa Carrillo, Marshall Grass, Blake and Grant Johnston, Bailey Krieger, Tanner Rector, Olivia Schmale, Nicole Tompkins, and Vionne Trizila.  Parents Della Grass and Melodie Tompkins also helped chaperone the group of travelers.

The group’s primary goal was to bear witness to what they have studied in class by spending a day at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, using writing as a method to explore and reflect upon the various aspects of the exhibitions.  This year they also received a private docent tour, which added an extra special informative element to the visit.  In conjunction with the USHMM visit, they also visited the Smithsonian Of The American Indian “Treaties” exhibit and honored the fallen by taking a tour of Arlington and attending the Changing Of The Guard. The trip was rounded out by visiting other museums, going on a night tour of the monuments, and seeing many other interesting sites that DC has to offer. The students each shared a piece of writing on the last evening of the trip.  

The group was also awarded a grant from the Holocaust Memorial Library in New York City to contribute to their fundraising efforts, and The Remembrance Projects wishes to also thank the community for its overwhelming support in fundraising efforts as well.  The students worked 8 concession stands, held a fall bake sale, and did a winter baked potato bar to help raise funds for this trip.  We would like to extend a special thank you to Torpins Rodeo Market, Super Foods, and Elkhorn River Farms for your generous food donations for our potato bar and the parents, staff, students, and OHS fans for supporting our potato bar, concessions and bake sale.  We hope this learning adventure will continue to be a tradition at OHS.

On the evening of May 3rd, there will be a Holocaust Remembrance Night at OHS in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is May 4th.  The community is invited to come view student projects and speak with the students about what they have learned.  We hope you will join us!

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