A new contest is encouraging students to use art and poetry to explore how words can fuel hate. The contest, part of a Holocaust education initiative, is open to local students in grades 6 through 12.
The #ItStartedWithWords project invites students to submit their 2D art, prose, poetry, or a combination of both by March 9. The entries should highlight how language can be used as propaganda to inspire harmful actions and silence others, paving the way for atrocities like the Holocaust.
The contest honors the memory of Henry Pestka, a Holocaust survivor who moved to Grand Rapids in 1946 and learned English at Union High School. Born in Poland, Pestka was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. In his memory, the Pestka family promotes Holocaust education through the contest.
The Henry Pestka Art & Poetry Contest is organized by the West Michigan Holocaust Partnership, which includes several local institutions: WGVU Public Media, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Gerald R. Ford Public Museum and Library, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Valley State University Art Gallery, The Anti-Defamation League of Michigan, The Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids, and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University.
Finalists will be announced in early April. The top 10 students in each grade will be honored at the Henry Pestka Awards Dinner in May. The top three finalists in each grade will receive a cash prize. Finalist projects will also be displayed in a gallery at one of the West Michigan Holocaust Partner locations.
