Senior wins Holocaust essay contest

May 25, 2011

Mayfield Jr. /Sr. High School senior Alex Husain was selected as the high school first prize winner in the 2011 B'nai B'rith Capital Area Holocaust Essay Contest. She will receive $250 and three certificates: one each for her, the sponsoring teacher, and school.

To enter, students had to answer the question: “How Can Students, Teachers, and Schools Apply Lessons from the Holocaust of World War II to Prevent Holocausts Today and Tomorrow?”

Social studies teacher Jennifer Wasserstrom has taught the Holocaust in Mayfield for four years and studied it for even longer. She encourages her students to learn all they can.

“Her essay incorporated many elements from my Holocaust course, but she focused on the lessons she learned from the two Holocaust Survivors she met," she said.

"Alex has always been an exceptional writer, but this essay demonstrated her personal connections and understanding of why it’s important to work to prevent the hatred and intolerance that lead to genocide. I’m so proud of Alex. This is a tremendous honor for her and Mayfield.”

Alex will receive her award on June 6 at the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York in Albany.