ADL’s moral courage essay contest winners

SOCIAL ACTIVISM

ADL Arizona

Announces Moral Courage Essay Contest Winners

On the heels of an alarming spike of antisemitic incidents across the state, three Arizona high schoolers were awarded for their touching essays inspired by Holocaust survivor testimonies. Arizona high school students have been awarded scholarships in the annual Herb Goldberg Moral Courage Essay Contest. The contest, open to all Arizona high school students, is a project of ADL’s No Place for Hate® program, which works with educators and students across the country to promote respectful, inclusive, and equitable school environments where all students can thrive. This year, participants were asked to read Holocaust survivors’ testimonies and explain why learning about the Holocaust has helped them respond to antisemitism and hate in their school and community with moral courage. Additionally, students were asked to identify attributes and skills needed to exemplify moral courage and effect change. “Moral courage is about action – it means doing the right thing even when one is afraid of the consequences,” Tammy Gillies, Regional Director of ADL Arizona says. “These impressive young students have demonstrated that kind of courage just by taking up their pens to share their own perspectives of what a Holocaust survivor’s testimony means for combatting today’s antisemitism, which unfortunately is on the rise in Arizona and across the country, as we saw in our Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents.”

FIRST PLACE

MATTHEW MALEDON, a junior at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix for his essay, Moral Courage in Holocaust Education.

My name is Matthew Maledon, and I was born in Scottsdale, Arizona. I am the youngest sibling to 4 brothers and a sister. Currently, I attend 11th grade at a Jesuit high school in Phoenix called Brophy College Preparatory, where I dedicate my time towards not only a rigorous workload, but also towards playing for our varsity baseball team. Some of the greatest joys in my life, however, come from music; whether it be from playing guitar or piano, or from hearing the blaring speakers of my old record player, there is always a rewarding element that I get from music. Although I cannot yet say I have any plans set in stone following high school, I know I will make the most of the college I ultimately attend — taking charge of new opportunities while also pursuing the passions in which I am currently involved.

I decided to enter this contest mainly because of an experience I am so grateful to have had several years ago, in which I visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and was thoroughly moved by my exposure to the atrocities of this period in time — something none of my school textbooks had really done justice in presenting. With my essay, I wanted to offer the importance of classroom education in these historical events — events that should never be forgotten and should call upon each coming generation to hold onto.

The Goldberg Family Foundation, which held the competition, is dedicated to promoting positive change in people’s lives and helping to build and enhance the communities in which they live.

AVERY SHAFRON, a sophomore at Rancho Solano Preparatory School in Scottsdale, for her essay, Moral Obligation.

My name is Avery Shafron, and I am a sophomore in high school! I attend Rancho Solano preparatory school in Scottsdale, where I have lived for my whole life thus far. I am a member of Temple Kol Ami reform congregation, where I have practiced Judaism since a young age. As of right now, in my high school career, there are many things I enjoy studying and doing, but I am most passionate about literature, science, writing, and soccer. I’ve been a soccer player since second grade. I currently am a member of SC Del Sol soccer club, but I also play for my school! My hobbies include playing soccer, reading, writing and playing with my dogs. I am undecided about whether I will continue my soccer career after high school, but I am sure that I would like to pursue writing and literary studies in college and beyond.

I decided to enter in the contest after learning about it from my Creative Writing Teacher, Mrs. Pamela McCarty. She recommended I enter the competition after reading the topic and prompts. After I explored the website, I was excited to enter, especially since I’d previously heard Oskar Knoblauch speak. I chose my topic as a direct response to the first time I had heard Oskar speak and the knowledge I had since built. I wanted to show other people how my own learning about the Holocaust impacted me, and encourage other people to become upstanders in their own way. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to share my words and voice in this way, and look forward to writing more in the future!

THIRD PLACE

ALISA VELASQUEZ, a freshman at Dobson High School in Mesa, for her essay, A Tribute of Daffodils.

I am Alisa Velasquez. I am in my first year at Dobson High School, I am part of the FFA club and I very much enjoy math and other things involving math. My plans for after high school are hopefully to go to Pennsylvania State University and pursue a career in Aerospace science. Hopefully getting a job with NASA to build rocket ships and planes. I’ve wanted to pursue a career in aerospace engineering ever since childhood, so maybe one of these days I’ll go to mars! In my English class we were assigned an essay involving moral courage and how it undertook in the Holocaust. Although I didn’t have much of a say in this contest, I learned about a lot of stories of people we may take for granted. These people showed us the true value of being an upstander, and showing courage in moments of prosperity. In my essay, I wrote about moral courage and examined it from a society's perspective. This prompt struck me and let me explore the aspects of how the Holocaust implemented educational value to students and people. The Holocaust wasn’t about whether or not you had survived, but instead was about what you did to change someone else’s life. Did you do your human duty? Did you show moral courage? Did you show someone the importance of being an upstander? I didn’t expect to win, but I am so thankful and honored to have won third place. Also a huge thank you to my English teacher, Mrs. Klett, for being such a great teacher in my first year of high school! :)

ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. More at www.adl.org.