Witness To History Project
Connecting students with the lived truth of Holocaust survivors.
The Witness to History Project gives students the rare opportunity to learn directly from Holocaust survivors through personal testimony. Participants listen to a survivor’s story, ask questions, and then share that story with others — ensuring these lessons are understood, remembered, and passed forward with accuracy and respect.
Project Details:
Participants gain the lifelong responsibility of educating others about the Holocaust by sharing a survivor’s personal narrative. This project is ideal for Bar/Bat Mitzvah projects, class assignments, service projects, or for any student interested in Holocaust education, history, or storytelling.
There is no charge for students or adults to participate in this project. However, we depend on donations to keep us going and to spread the lessons of the Holocaust. There is a recommended donation of $125, which covers staff time and the materials produced to make this the best possible project and experience for you or for someone you wish to engage in a project. Please make the contribution payable to HAMEC.
Choose a Phase:
Three pathways, designed for different ages and project goals.
Phase 1
Recommended for middle school students in grades 6-8 or for those preparing for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Phase 2
Recommended for high school students grade 9-12.
Phase 3
Recommended for college students and adults.
Witness to History – Phase 1
Phase 1 focuses on helping younger students understand a survivor’s story and share it clearly with others. Participants learn the survivor’s background, write a short biography, and present it to their school or community using the resources provided by the Museum.
The minimum requirements are:
- Participate in one presentation by a Holocaust survivor
- Review an audio or videotape of the survivor’s testimony
- Write a biography (6-8 double spaced pages) about the survivor, including a paragraph explaining why it is important for you to continue to share this story with others.
- Utilize the historical background information provided by the Holocaust Awareness Museum
- Present the biography to a member of the Holocaust Awareness Museum to verify testimonial and historical accuracy
- Present the story to a suggested number of 50 people and confirmed by a teacher’s or leader’s signature
Witness to History – Phase 2
Phase 2 is designed for high school students who are ready to engage more deeply with a survivor’s story and present it with a stronger historical context. Participants study the survivor’s background, write a more detailed biography, and create a structured presentation using materials and guidance provided by the Museum.
The minimum requirements are:
- Participate in one presentation by a Holocaust survivor
- Review an audio or videotape of the survivor’s testimony
- Write a biography (10-12 double spaced pages) about the survivor, including a paragraph explaining why it is important for you to continue to share this story with others
- Utilize and include the historical details provided by the Holocaust Awareness Museum
- Present the biography to a member of the Holocaust Awareness Museum to verify testimonial and historical accuracy
- While presenting, using previously developed PowerPoint presentations about that specific survivor. These are provided by the Holocaust Awareness Museum for biographical guides, visual aids, and audio aids during the presentation
- Present the story to a suggested number of 50 people and confirmed by a teacher’s or leader’s signature
Witness to History – Phase 3
Phase 3 is intended for college students and adults seeking to produce an in-depth, historically accurate presentation of a survivor’s experience. Participants conduct advanced research, develop a comprehensive written biography, and use museum-provided archival materials, video clips, and visual aids to present the survivor’s story to a wider audience.
The minimum requirements are:
- Participate in one presentation by a Holocaust survivor
- Review an audio or videotape of the survivor’s testimony
- Write a biography (15-20 double spaced pages) about the survivor, including a paragraph explaining why it is important for you to continue to share this story with others
- Utilize and include the historical details provided by the Holocaust Awareness Museum
- Present the biography to a member of the Holocaust Awareness Museum to verify testimonial and historical accuracy
- While presenting, utilize previously developed PowerPoint presentations about that specific survivor as well as video and audio clips of the survivor. These are provided by the Holocaust Awareness Museum for biographical guides, visual aids, and audio aids during the presentation
- Present the story to a suggested number of 75 people and confirmed by a teacher’s or leader’s signature
Get Started Today
We will do our best to work with participants who have additional goals to meet.Please keep in mind that this project will take some time, generally several weeks, to complete.