WHS Juniors Named Student Senators of Facing History and Ourselves Conference

Westlake High School juniors Shannon Kruger, Maggie Katonka, Hanna Tegel and Abby Salem will lead this year's History and Ourselves conference as Student Senators.

The four girls will head to John Carroll University to facilitate and lead three conferences throughout the year. They will join other student senators from Martin Luther King Jr. High School, Beachwood, Laurel, Twinsburg, Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Lakewood and St. Joseph Academy.

This year’s conference theme is “Finding Your Voice." Students will examine how to use their voices to effect change right now or how to find their voices to make change in their schools and communities.

The four girls were nominated by social studies teacher Elizabeth Noren, who has been affiliated with the organization since 2007 and uses many of the group’s modules within her classroom

Facing History and Ourselves is a Boston-based international organization that promotes tolerance and acceptance by using aspects of history to address issues like prejudice, stereotyping and bullying at their schools.