This fall, Elwood-John H. Glenn High School launched Names Not Numbers, a multidisciplinary oral history program. Guided by founder and producer Tova Fish-Rosenberg, who was a special guest at John Glenn’s launch event, Names and Numbers has been documenting the stories of Holocaust survivors for the last 21 years. Through this program, over 5,000 survivors have shared their stories and over 850 films have been created. Students conduct videotaped interviews with survivors, which are then edited into a documentary film.
Over 40 John Glenn students expressed interest in Names Not Numbers, with the final participants earning a spot in the program through personal statements and interviews. For three months, they will partner with four different survivors, delving into the history of the Holocaust and going beyond facts and dates to explore the deeply personal stories and firsthand accounts of those who lived through it, to create their documentary.
“This program is more than just a history project,” Principal Corey McNamara told his students at the launch. “It is an opportunity to interact with authentic, primary source encounters that must never be forgotten. Through it, you will hear the voices of Holocaust survivors, their families and others who were impacted. And you all sitting here today will help ensure that their memories live on. As we begin this journey, it is important to understand the immense weight that comes with telling these stories. The horrific events of the Holocaust were attempts to erase future generations, individual identities, and reduce people to mere numbers. But through programs like Names Not Numbers, we honor the individuals behind those numbers. We honor their lives, their hopes, their fears, their resilience and, of course, their perseverance. We listen to their stories as firsthand accounts that live in the hearts of those who survived and the families who carried their legacy. The stories we will hear are not just about the past. They are about our shared humanity. They remind us that when a group of people suffers, it is a call to action for all of us. These stories challenge us to stand up against injustice, prejudice and hate in our world. Names Not Numbers allows us to meet history through the eyes of those who lived it and to ensure that we do not reduce the lives lost to mere statistics. Through your participation, you will play a role in preserving these invaluable accounts and help future generations better understand not just the atrocities of the Holocaust, but also the incredible strength of the human spirit. In ‘Man’s Search for Meaning,’ Viktor Frankl, who survived four Nazi concentration camps, wrote, ‘When we are no longer able to change the situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.’ This program is that challenge. It asks us to confront the past in a deeply personal way, to reflect on its meaning in the context of our present, and to find ways in which we create a more compassionate and empathetic future.” This program will show you how the survivors refused to be defined solely by their suffering. It will demonstrate the resilience and courage it took to rebuild themselves, their families, their culture and, ultimately, their way of life after such profound loss and pain. But more than anything, this program is about ensuring that these stories live on. To our students, you are not just listeners and participants, you are the next generation of witnesses. By learning, documenting, filming and sharing the stories of the survivors and their families, you are becoming the living legacy of memory. Thank you for volunteering to participate in this endeavor, and let us all carry forward the responsibility of ensuring that names are never forgotten and that stories are never silent.”
Assistant Principal Lindsay Fritch, who had made it her personal mission to bring Names Not Numbers to the school, addressed the participating students next.
“You are all sitting here today because you have expressed a passion for bringing history to life and a commitment to memorializing the voices of those who have survived the devastating atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust,” Fritch said. “The Names Not Numbers program will expose you to every step of the journalistic process – researching, crafting thoughtful interview questions, conducting the interviews, and taking part the filming and editing process. The documentary you produce will not only educate our community, but also preserve these stories for future generations. Through your research and conversation with the survivors who have been a deep part of this period in history, you’ll witness the strength, resilience and courage that can emerge in the face of hardship. These stories are a powerful reminder of the endurance of the human spirit. They remind us that hope, kindness and courage persists even during the darkness of time. I hope that by the end of this experience, you will reflect on your own role in today’s society. Understanding the consequences of silence and indifference will help you see why standing up for what is right even when difficult is so important. I am excited to see where this project takes you, and I hope this experience leaves a lasting impression on you, one that reinforces the importance of empathy and the responsibility we all share in standing up against hatred and intolerance. By taking part in this program, you are doing more than just learning. You are becoming part of a mission to ensure that voices are never lost and that the lessons of the Holocaust remain with us forever.”
Date Added: 11/6/2024