Jacksonville Girl Wins International Holocaust Art Competition

A LaVilla School of the Arts An eighth-grader won the 2021 college’s ‘best show’ award in an international art competition for middle and high school students.

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes’ six annual ArtEffect Project asks students to honor “unsung heroes” through art. The center was established in 2007 as part of a partnership between education philanthropist Lowell Milken and history professor Norman Conard, highlighting the power of each to create positive change.

Naomi Alcantara of LaVilla received $ 2,000 for its multimedia entry, “A Terezin Diary”, about Pavel Weiner, a Holocaust survivor who spent his childhood in the Terezin ghetto in the Czech Republic.

“Even as a teenager my age, he went through the hardships of life in Terezin and recorded a lot of historical information,” Naomi wrote in an essay that accompanied his entry. “Although he was young, he saw hope through his struggles and worked hard to live life the best he could with his family and friends.”

Weiner spent the age of 10 to 13 in the Terezin ghetto, a Nazi transit camp in Czechoslovakia during World War II. There, he wrote articles for a secretly distributed magazine “which reflected his hope, his patriotism, his maturity and his belief in winning the truth,” according to the center.

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Many moments in his diary showed him as an average teenager with relatable moments involving family and friends, like arguing with his mother and interacting with other children, even though he was imprisoned in a camp. concentration and a difficult life, wrote Naomi.

She decided to showcase her story by recreating her diary and illustrations.

In this format, she said she was able to “give him a more personal impression and share some of the relevant and historical information that he leaked.”

“A journal usually gives the viewer more personal and specific ideas about how the writer felt while writing it, so I figured restoring and remaking a version would be effective,” Naomi said.

One of the entries of “A diary of Terezin“read,” I have little space and few things. … There are about 20 of us here. On Monday morning I wake up and can’t believe how well I slept. We stay in bed until eight o’clock. Fleas don’t bite me anymore. “

Another entry, next to a drawing of people on a train, reads: “I wonder if I will ever see them again”.

Weiner was one of the main contributors to the 10 Secret Magazines.

“These magazines were very historically significant, as they were filled with children’s drawings, paintings and writings, showing glimpses of their feelings and artistic expression,” Naomi wrote. “I hope this part of mine not only catches the eyes of viewers, but also shares remarkable information about the life of Pavel Weiner and the children who lived in Terezin.”

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Naomi’s two-year teacher Cheryl Lunger said she was a joy to teach.

“She’s one of those kids who always try their best and are very good at generating ideas,” Lunger said. “I’ve… seen her grow. She’s one of those kids who take feedback that allows her to grow. I’m super proud of her.”

Naomi was one of 11 students from around the world who were honored. They collectively received $ 16,500 in cash prizes from the Lowell Milken Center ArtEffect project.

Their artwork is displayed virtually on the centre’s website and physically in its Fort Scott, Kan., Hall of Unsung Heroes, a museum and research facility.

Weiner’s book, “A Boy in Terezín: The Private Diary of Pavel Weiner, April 1944-April 1945”, was published in 2011 and is available on Amazon.

Two other LaVilla students – Sophia Waller and Luella Legene, in seventh grade – received certificates of excellence of $ 250 in the college division. Sophia’s multimedia work focused on “Sylvia Mendez: An Unsung Hero” in civil rights, while Luella’s “Thoughts of a New World” celebrated suffragist and political activist Emily Newell Blair.

“ArtEffect winners demonstrate visionary thinking and creative skills of a superior nature,” said CEO Norm Conard. “We… salute the excellence and active imagination of our student champions.

The jury included leaders from the center and “notable figures from the world of artistic design,” such as professionals from the ArtCenter College of Design, California Institute of the Arts, Scripps College and Pomona College, according to the center.

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