OQMS Student Leaders Visit Holocaust Museum

On Thursday, February 15, a group of Old Quarry 8th graders, accompanied by language arts teacher Mrs. Saulys, traveled to the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, Illinois, for a day of leadership training and action planning. The students were selected based on their leadership skills, academic performance, and sincere interest in improving the lives of others regarding justice and community. These students were Aleksa Kirkus, Colin Treanor, Logan Kearns, Annie Pesavento, AnneMarie Bacon, Dominic Munizzi, Skylar Yabush, and Nathan Svoboda. The students were able to listen to the moving story told by a Holocaust survivor as well as to the thought-provoking words delivered by keynote speaker Michel Chikwanine, a survivor of the war in the Congo. They also were able to tour the Holocaust Museum itself and be treated to a fabulous lunch. Throughout their day they met with students from a number of other schools and formulated ways to improve the world in which we live. At the end of the day each team of students was asked to devise an Action Plan. Our students’ plan includes making better connections with the elderly in the Lemont community, a plan which will include the input and actions of our school community as it intends to make inroads in establishing these valuable ties through awareness, visits to local nursing homes, and a variety of other activities.