Education Everywhere — A Holocaust education project is accepting art and poetry entries from local students interested in helping educate everyone about how words fuel hate in the world.
#ItStartedWithWords invites students from 6th through 12th grade to submit by March 9 their 2D art, prose, poetry or a combination of 2D art and writing to the Henry Pestka Art & Poetry Contest.
Entries should highlight how words can be used as propaganda that embolden some to action and intimidate others to silence, paving the way for events like the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Henry Pestka was a Holocaust survivor who settled in Grand Rapids in 1946 and learned English at Union High School. He was born in Poland and was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. The Pestka family, in memory of their father and grandfather, share Holocaust awareness and education to West Michigan through the contest.
The contest is presented by the West Michigan Holocaust Partnership, which includes WGVU Public Media, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Gerald R. Ford Public Museum and Library, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Valley State University Art Gallery, The Anti-Defamation League of Michigan, The Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University.
Finalists will be notified in early April. The top 10 finalists in each grade will be invited to be recognized at the Henry Pestka Awards Dinner in May. The top three finalists in each grade will receive a cash prize. The projects of the finalists will be displayed in a gallery-style format at one of the West Michigan Holocaust Partner locations.
For rules, prompts, resources and past finalists, visit the WGVU Public Media website.
