Over 140 students at J.B. Martin Middle School participated in this year’s Publishing Ceremony.
During the event, 8th grade students in Stacy Neighbors and Clair Herrera’s language arts classes discussed the Holocaust with parents, faculty, administration and community members.
The presentations centered on issues from WWII and the Holocaust. Each student wrote either an expository research piece or a personal narrative piece.
“I feel that it is important for students to learn about this because the Holocaust is a time in history that all people should be aware of so that it never happens again,” Neighbors said. “We also briefly discussed genocide and the fact that atrocities still take place in the world today; we must work to change them.”
The students who did an expository research piece researched a person, place or event associated with WWI or the Holocaust. The final paragraph had to involve a Call to Action, or a real-world decision that will impact our world today.
Each student who wrote a personal narrative piece honed in on one memory from their past that has made a true impact on their life.
Additionally, each class period participated in a Call to Action to ensure that the Holocaust is remembered and is a type of genocide that will never happen again.
Neighbors said her students always seem to feel like this is one of the most rewarding experiences they have had.
“The students all seemed to say that it was a rewarding experience; one even commented that it was ‘the most meaningful thing he has done during his 8th grade year,'” Neighbors said.
For the past few years, the classes have alternated between focusing on WWII and issues from the novel “The Outsiders.” In the past, they have also focused on decades in history.
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