Newtown Middle School Students Honored for Holocaust Education Projects

Five eighth-grade students from Newtown Middle School were recognized for their outstanding creative achievements in Holocaust education at an awards ceremony held at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia on June 6.

With the guidance and encouragement of their English teacher, Erinn Demskis, the students submitted their Holocaust projects to the Mordechai Anielewicz Creative Arts Competition, which is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. For this competition, students in grades 7-12 from across the Delaware Valley were given the opportunity to reflect upon and interpret the lessons of the Holocaust through creative writing, poetry, visual art, music, dance, and multi-media. This year over 300 students participated in this competition, which is named after the young leader who led the Jewish uprising against the Nazi tyranny in the Warsaw ghetto.

Ekaterina Fedotova was awarded the prize for instrumental music for her original composition for piano entitled, “Hope,” which she performed at the ceremony. Madison O’Leary was awarded Honorable Mention for her poetry submissions entitled, “Poetic Reflections of Life in the Concentration Camps.” Ava Ondik was awarded the prize for Best Original Book for her children’s book entitled, Wonderful Things. Ondik also was awarded a Merit Scholarship to attend Moore College of Art and Design’s Young Artists Workshop this summer. Alina Ulzinow was awarded second place for her two-dimensional art entitled, “12 Years to Never Forget.” Eva Wojnovich was awarded first place for her two-dimensional art entitled, “Memorial of Elie Wiesel.” At the conclusion of the program, teacher Erinn Demskis was recognized and presented with three Merit Scholarships to the Young Artists Workshop to pass along to her students.

All of the artwork entered in the contest remains on display in a special exhibition at the galleries of Moore College of Art and Design from June 3 through June 15 and will also be posted online at www.jewishphilly.org.