Emily van Oudenhove, in Grade 10 at Redhill School, has won the prestigious poetry section of the annual Holocaust art and writing contest hosted by Chapman University in Los Angeles, California.
The contest focuses on themes central both to the Holocaust and to ethical decision making in our world today and allows schoolchildren the opportunity to share their creative works in response to survivors’ oral testimonies.
Read Redhill School dances to the top
The competition reached new heights this year with a record-breaking 250 middle and high schools registered for the competition. Now in its 18th year, the contest involves some 7 000 schoolchildren representing 30 states and eight countries. This year’s theme was, I Have a Story to Tell.
Schools from the USA, Germany, Romania, Mexico, South Africa, Israel, Poland, Malaysia and the Philippines registered for this year’s contest. Entries were judged by a ‘blind’ panel of judges including Holocaust survivors, local business people, professionals, organisation leaders and the Chapman University faculty and students.
Van Oudenhove’s poem was inspired by Holocaust survivor, Ludmila Page. The impressive win for the youngster means an invitation to attend a study trip with Chapman University to Washington DC in June.
Do you know a schoolchild who has won a prestigious competition and is worth mentioning? Tell us on WhatsApp 079 439 5345.
