Student-Led Exhibit on Genocide in Lake Oswego, Oregon

Students at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, ended their “Facing History and Ourselves: Comparative Genocide” course by presenting a thought-provoking exhibition on genocide in the world today. The Facing History course is new this year and is led by Karen Hoppes who modeled the class on a college level course she teaches on the Holocaust and German history. “The purpose of the exhibit is to increase awareness of genocide, genocide stages and the role of public response,” Hoppes told the Portland Tribune. “It should show how we, as human beings, face this history and ourselves.”

After viewing the exhibit, one viewer wrote, “I hope that through awareness and compassion I will be inspired to take an active rather than passive role to face the challenges of genocide. I hope I won’t be one who thinks ‘aw, that’s so sad,’ and move on with my life unaffected.”

The exhibit opened this month at Lakeridge High School. It will become part of the school’s world history curriculum and will be open to the public and other classes.

Read “The Genocide Museum Exhibit,” by Barb Randall, in the Portland Tribune.

Learn more about Facing History’s work across the United States.