CH-UH students reach semifinal level in Maltz Museum essay contest

More than 2,500 students in grades 6–10, from throughout Northeast Ohio, entered the sixth annual Stop the Hate: Youth Speak Out essay contest created by the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. The contest encourages middle- and high-school students to focus attention on the corrosive effects of discrimination and intolerance while developing critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills. 

Three finalists from each lower-grade level have been chosen and are eligible for cash prizes to be awarded at a ceremony on Thursday, March 13 at Severance Hall. Among these finalists are four students from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District. They are Jordan Major, 8th-grader at Roxboro Middle School; Justin Fitzgerald, 9th-grader at Heights High; and Taylor Jackson and Madeleine Shutt, 10th-graders at Heights High.

This year, students in grades 6–12 were asked to write an essay, in 500 words or less, about one of the following themes: witnessing an act of discrimination or hate toward yourself or someone else; if you responded, why did you decide to stand up and how can you encourage your peers to do the same; if you didn’t respond, why not and what changes might you make to your behavior next time.

More than 200 community volunteers evaluated the student submissions. Jill Rembrandt, Maltz Museum director of education and public programs, said, “We are so pleased to be a part of encouraging dialogue about ways to put an end to hate and discrimination in our schools and communities. This year the entries for the essay contest doubled. [Students] who entered should feel proud of their effort.”

Upper-grade students also participated in the contest. The junior or senior with the winning essay will receive a $40,000 Grand Scholarship Prize. First and second runners-up will receive a $15,000 and $10,000 scholarship, respectively; and seven honorable mentions will each receive a $500 cash prize. In addition to student scholarships, three schools will be eligible to win $10,000 for their schools, to be used specifically toward anti-bias education.

The essay contest is a yearly initiative that supports the Maltz Museum’s mission to build bridges of appreciation, tolerance and understanding of persons of all religions, races, cultures and ethnic backgrounds. It reflects Jewish values of responsible citizenship and respect for all humanity by challenging young people to consider the consequences of intolerance and the role of personal responsibility in affecting change. This year’s contest is sponsored by Cleveland Clinic, Dealer Tire, KeyBank and the Nordson Company Foundation.

Jewel Moulthrop

Jewel Moulthrop is a Cleveland Heights resident and member of the Heights Observer's Editorial Advisory Committee.

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Volume 7, Issue 3, Posted 9:14 AM, 02.04.2014