School Integrates History, Chorus and Travel to Study the Holocaust

School Integrates History, Chorus and Travel to Study the Holocaust

North Shore Country Day School students present 'A Still Small Voice,' a combined choral and spoken word performance in Berlin, Garmisch and Winnetka

CHICAGO, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, students taking chorus and studying the Holocaust in 12th grade at North Shore Country Day School will travel to Germany to present a program that asks the question, "What does the Holocaust mean for this generation?" Working from the premise ("Never Again") embedded in all Holocaust education, the group will perform "A Still Small Voice," which integrates multiple musical genres, text from Holocaust survivors, poetry and prose, and is intended as a "meditation on the Holocaust and its meaning."

The project is the result of the shared vision of North Shore History Department Chair Kevin Randolph and Performing Arts Department Chair Michael Querio. "This is more than studying music and history of the Holocaust," explained Randolph. "It's about understanding how people survive in the face of unspeakable atrocity and go forward to live a life that is not centered on hatred."

According to Querio, "The objective of this project is to research, design and perform a multi-media piece which focuses on the themes of the Holocaust and that will encourage students to have a richer understanding of the historic event and its implications on our 21st century world. The project also allows for inter-disciplinary cooperation between chorus and Holocaust class students, and positions them as ambassadors of knowledge during our week in Germany."

The program to study outside the classroom is part of Interim Week at North Shore. For one week in November each year, all high school students participate in a sustained, in-depth experience outside the traditional classroom setting. Other programs offered this year include volunteering at River Trail Nature Center, film making workshop, studying and visiting works by Frank Lloyd Wright, a British cultural exchange, marine biology workshop at Newfound Harbor Marine Institute at Big Pine Key, Florida, and painting a mural for Connections for the Homeless in Evanston.

Students are preparing for their Holocaust Interim Week program with classroom studies prior to the trip to Germany which will incorporate visiting concentration camps in Dachau and Buchenwald. In addition, the 27 participating students will present readings about the Holocaust, perform songs sung by Holocaust prisoners, as well as sing an original composition with lyrics and music written by Randolph and Querio at the Berlin Jewish Museum.

The performance includes an original piece with music composed by Querio and lyrics written by Randolph. Upon returning to school, the students will share their performance with entire school community. In addition, at the end of each year's Interim Week, all students present their experience through a report and discussion format to parents, teachers and other students on Interim Night.

"North Shore has created a meaningful and powerful program supported by the Tepper Fund for Holocaust Studies(1)," said David Potter, Head of Upper School. "In addition to providing a rigorous academic program, North Shore helps students feel connected, involved and confident about who they are and how they can contribute to the world."

(1) The Tepper Fund for Holocaust Studies
The Tepper Fund for Holocaust Studies in memory of Berl Herbst and
Family was established in 1986 as a gift from Penny Tepper Herbst to
educate North Shore students about the Holocaust and its meaning.

About North Shore Country Day School

North Shore Country Day School, established in 1919, is a coeducational college preparatory school of 465 students in grades JK through 12 in Winnetka, Illinois.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: North Shore Country Day School

CONTACT: Tura Cottingham, +1-847-441-3337, or Dana Motley,
+1-847-475-7900, ext. 115, both for North Shore Country Day School

Web site: http://www.nscds.org/

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