October 28th, 2025 (5:30-7:00pm) The Akron-Summit Main Public Library, 60 S. High Street, Arkon, OH

The Akron-Summit Council on Holocaust & Genocide Education will hold an Educational Seminar “Holocaust and Genocide: The Importance of Hope and Resistance.” This event will be held on Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Akron-Summit County Public Library Auditorium, “60 S High St.” The event is free and open to the public. There will also be the option to attend via Zoom. Register by October 25th for the event on our website (AkronSummitHolocaustEducation.org) or by contacting Laura Ralph at (234) 200-6241.

This annual seminar, Holocaust and Genocide: The Importance of Hope and Resistance, will be dedicated to deepening understanding of human resilience in the face of atrocity. This vital program will explore how individuals and communities found ways to sustain hope, preserve dignity, and resist oppression during the Holocaust and other genocides. Teachers, students, and community members are invited to attend this engaging and educational event that continues the Council’s mission to promote awareness, remembrance, and moral responsibility.

James Newman, a teacher at Hawken School, will present on his experiences and knowledge teaching about this topic to high school students. Jim has taught for the last 20 years at the Hawken School in the History and Humanities Department. In that time he has served as Assistant Upper School Director and Dean of Students for 18 years. He currently teaches AP United States History, Native American History and Literature as well as elective courses in the Ethics of War, Who Tells the Story: Memory and Memorialization of Historical Events, and Human’s Best Friend: The Role of Dogs in Culture. A two time Fulbright Scholar (Italy and Greece), a Barringer Fellow at Monticello, and James wrote his Master’s Degree Thesis on the Ideal of Honor in the American Civil War. He has a Master’s Degree from Dartmouth College and BA from Gettysburg College. James and his family volunteer with Guiding Eyes for the Blind and have raised five guide dogs, and he also loves to cycle.  Additionally, Laura Ralph, Administrator of the Council will present on her experiences traveling to Poland with Holocaust historians and what she learned about the importance of hope and resistance during the Holocaust.

At the conclusion of this event, Renee Pinsky, Art Chair of the Council will share information regarding the 38^th Annual Akron-Summit Holocaust Arts & Writing Contest. This year’s theme is Holocaust and Genocide: The Importance of Hope and Resistance. This contest is open to students, grades 6-12, who live or attend school in Summit County Ohio. Teachers and educators are urged to attend. Important dates, contest rules, entry forms, resources, and the work of past winners can be found at AkronSummitHolocaustEducation.org.