Luke Sica
Chapman University’s Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Art & Writing Contest Honors Students for Keeping Holocaust Memory Alive
Annual Contest Reaches Over 160,000 Students Worldwide in Its 26th Year
Imagery available for Download Here
March 20, 2025 ORANGE, Calif. — More than 500 students, educators, and guests gathered at Chapman University for the newly renamed Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Art & Writing Contest. This was the 26th year the contest has been presented by Chapman University and The 1939 Society. As one of the most far-reaching student engagement efforts dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, the contest has reached nearly 160,000 students, engaged over 2,000 educators, and spanned 45 states and 25 countries since its inception.
This year’s theme, “What Do You Bring When You Don’t Know Where You Are Going?”, challenged middle and high school students to engage with Holocaust survivor testimonies and express their reflections through prose, poetry, art and film.
“Whether their art promoted an idea, kept a memory alive, was reflective, shared moments of decision, or interpreted sorrow and hope, my students and I became more aware of the humanity that binds us all and how necessary art and writing are in keeping history alive,” said Barbara Gard, an educator from Mission Viejo, California.
Schools from 31 states and eight countries outside the United States, including Hungary, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, North Macedonia, Romania, South Africa and the United Kingdom registered to participate. The contest’s global reach highlights the ongoing importance of Holocaust education at a time when historical knowledge is waning.
William Elperin, president of The 1939 Society, reflected on the contest’s impact over the years, sharing a past winner’s sentiment: “I will never forget the words of the president of the 1939 Club… He asked all Holocaust survivors to stand, then asked the students to stand, and said, ‘You are the last generation that will meet Holocaust survivors.’ That moment changed my life.”
The event featured a keynote address by Alexandra Zapruder, author of Salvaged Pages: Young Writers’ Diaries of the Holocaust, who spoke on the relevance of Holocaust-era diaries, including The Diary of Anne Frank, in today’s world. “The future belongs to the youth, it’s in your hands now. It’s uncertain but unfixed. We have to collaborate with others in order to shape it. I wish you courage and wisdom, pack wisely and well,” Zapruder said, referencing the contest’s theme.
The awards ceremony included as an especially moving moment as Holocaust survivors and their families were asked to stand, a reminder of the contest’s mission to ensure that their stories continue to be shared for generations to come.
2025 Contest Winners
Middle School Prose:
- First Place: Ashley Kwon, Lexington Junior High School (Teacher: Jessica Naudin)
- Second Place: Lindhan Pham, Izaak Walton Intermediate School (Teacher: Ellen Dominici.
Middle School Poetry:
- First Place: Anabelle Lee, St. John’s Episcopal School (Teacher: Beth Sarachman)
- Second Place: Charlotte Morrison, Holy Family Catholic School (Teacher: Staci Trout)
Middle School Art:
- First Place: Lily Xu, Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School (Teacher: April Akiva)
- Second Place: Dawne Tsui, Tuffree Middle School (Teacher: Jenna Lind)
Middle School Film:
- First Place: Hannah Needham, Jefferson Middle School (Teacher: Yulia Cook)
- Second Place: Lucas Menendez, Acaciawood Preparatory School (Teacher: Mercy Hearne)
High School Prose:
- First Place: Janiny Maldonado, Sunny Hills High School (Teacher: Christina Zubko)
- Second Place: Amanda Gomez, Riverside Virtual School (Teacher: Leesa Rankins Moore)
High School Poetry:
- First Place: Katim Gossaye, Hawthorne Math and Science Academy (Teacher: Mindi Siegler)
- Second Place: Adina Tariq, Hawthorne Math and Science Academy (Teacher: Sophia Morris)
High School Art:
- First Place: Audrey Hess, Diamond Bar High School (Teacher: Vianney Hwang)
- Second Place: Esther Oh, Brea Olinda High School (Teacher: Delanie Hofacre)
High School Film:
- First Place: Anthony Samoylov, St. Edmund Preparatory High School (Teacher: Nikolaus Unger)
- Second Place: Téa Vu, University High School (Teacher: Griffee Albaugh)
An International Award of Recognition was presented to Saint Sava National College in Bucharest, Romania. Student Alexia-Irulan Mandache, along with teacher Denis Radu, viewed the ceremony via livestream and Alexia’s taped statement about her art was shared with the audience.
Chapman University President Daniele Struppa praised the contestants, stating, “This contest speaks to the values of our university and the importance of remembrance. Congratulations to all participants for their dedication to learning and sharing these powerful stories.”
The ceremony concluded with closing remarks from Marilyn Harran, Stern Chair in Holocaust Education and Director of the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. Harran announced that next year’s contest will take place on Friday, March 13, 2026.
###
About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
Media Contact:
Carly Murphy, Public Relations Coordinator | carmurphy@chapman.edu| Desk: 714-289-3196 | Mobile: 714-497-9683
