Genocide Survivor Inspires Students

When Michael Schneider and Mark Miyashita from Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado began teaching their Facing History unit after taking the online Holocaust and Human Behavior seminar, they said couldn't foresee the impact the program was going to make in their classroom and beyond.

When Michael Schneider and Mark Miyashita from Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado began teaching their Facing History unit after taking the online Holocaust and Human Behavior seminar, they said couldn't foresee the impact the program was going to make in their classroom and beyond. The pair team-teaches in a humanities block in the math/science/engineering academy of this nontraditional public high school. Miyashita is the Social Studies teacher and Schneider teaches Language Arts.

According to Miyashita, hearing the personal stories about survival and choices, both from the Holocaust, and the more recent history of genocide in Rwanda touched a deep chord in many of the students, many of whom by their own admissions were not into history.  "Making it a more personalized telling of history created a better sense of connection for the students," said Miyashita.

Readings from Holocaust and Human Behavior such as "The Mysterious Major" about Julius Schmahling, the Nazi occupation governor of the Haute Loire district in France which included Le Chambon, where the community saved hundreds of Jews gave the students the chance to think about individual decisions. Schmahling chose to help save Jews and in later years reflected on why he acted the way he did and the incidents which shaped his sense of decency.

The class also had the opportunity to connect with survivors of the Rwandan Genocide when one of the students travelled to the country during spring break and did some volunteer work at the Kigali Christian Church. This led to some exchange with the Castle View students and the members of the church, including a video-conference call. The experience really expanded the students' universe of obligation.

One of the Rwandan survivors, Jean Baptiste, soon was able to visit the school. "His message to the students . . . was a reflection of what Facing History is all about: accepting those around you and [understanding] what happens when you don't," said Schneider.

The students were inspired to forge a closer connection and get more involved. They created a sister school charter with the Kigali Christian School, with the understanding that they expect to travel to Rwanda in 2010 and host some of the school's students and teachers locally. They've gotten local businesses to participate as well.

On their own, Castle View students also developed a STAND chapter to address the genocide in Darfur and formed a group that deals with issues of acceptance at their school.

"This is all student-driven. The students have come to us and asked ‘what can we do?'" said Schneider.  "They've gone to Jean Baptiste and the Kigali Christian School and asked-‘what is it we can do for you?'"