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Ursula Lowenbach Foster Holocaust Memorial Scholarship Deadline
15 Mar 2019
Ursula Lowenbach Foster Holocaust Memorial Scholarship
History is the result of choices made by people at a particular time. The Holocaust occurred because individuals, groups, and nations made choices to act or not to act.
Ursula Lowenbach Foster survived the Holocaust because of the choice made by a courageous Dutch couple. They secretly hid Ursula, her parents, and 13 other Jews in an overcrowded house in Amsterdam. After barely escaping detection by the Nazis and spending a year sleeping in the dirt underneath the house among the crawling insects and rats, Ursula and the 15 other Jews were liberated by the Allies in 1945.
Later in life, Ursula displayed her own courage by overcoming her shy nature to share her terrifying experiences with innumerous children at many different schools.
Ursula had a tremendous impact on the lives of those students, teaching them what can happen “if prejudice and hatred are allowed to run wild.” This scholarship is a testimony to the legacy Ursula created.
Awards
A $500 scholarship will be presented to the top entry in each of the following categories:
College Division
Essay/Poetry Category
Visual/Performing Arts Category
High School Division
Essay/Poetry Category
Visual/Performing Arts Category
Scholarship Presentation Format Options
Written Prose
May include essays or poetry.
Visual & Performing Arts
May include original music, photography, dance, computer-generated images, ceramics, charcoal, pencil, pastel, watercolors, acrylics, or oils.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: MARCH 15, 2019
Eligibility
To be eligible for the scholarship, submit an entry following the instructions contained in this document. All entries will be reviewed by the Scholarship committee and prizes of $500 will be awarded to the top finisher in each college and high school category.
Requirements
Step One: Research or interview a Holocaust survivor, witness, or rescuer.
Step Two: Based on what you have learned from your research in Step One, choose a topic for your submission from one of the following themes:
- WE MUST NEVER FORGET — The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington has Elie Wiesel’s famous words carved in stone at the entrance. “For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” With the passing of time, fewer survivors remain alive to tell their stories. How might we best preserve and pass on the stories of Holocaust survivors so that the persecution of all groups can be avoided in the future?
- SAVE ONE LIFE AND YOU HAVE SAVED THE WHOLE WORLD — Many people are familiar with the story of Oscar Schindler and his role in saving the lives of Jewish people during the Holocaust. Research the life of another individual who helped save Jewish people. What motivated them to risk their life to save Jews during the Holocaust? How can we help others find this level of courage for the betterment of today’s world?
- THAT WHICH DOESN’T KILL ME MAKES ME STRONGER — Despite the tortured past of Holocaust survivors, many of those who survived the Holocaust have found ways to move past those horrors and succeed in many fields. Research or interview a survivor who faced persecution yet persevered, and who later contributed to society in a positive way. What impact does the survivor’s story have on your life?
- THOSE WHO FORGET THE PAST ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT — The Holocaust was not the first mass persecution of Jewish people. To make sure there is never again a mass persecution of any group of people, governments and individuals must be ready to take action. Based on lessons learned from the stories of Holocaust survivors, provide your specific recommendations about actions that should be taken.
Step Three: Choose to submit your presentation in one of the presentation formats indicated below. Only one entry per person.
Written Prose – May include Essays or Poetry. Essays must be between 500 to 750 words, original poems 750 words or less. Please indicate word count on submission.
Visual & Performing Arts – May include original music, photography, dance, computer-generated images, ceramics, charcoal, pencil, pastel, watercolors, acrylics, or oil.
Submission Criteria
- Scholarships open to students of any faith.
- A student participating in the College section must be attending Cypress College.
- Entry forms, essays, poems, music and dance submissions, must be submitted as digital files.
- Visual arts entries should be submitted as original art.
- Film/Dance/Music: Final file size must not exceed 600 MB.
- Large files may be submitted using WeTransfer.com, a free file transfer website.
- All entries must be original work. Any entry deemed to be an edited version or rendering of someone else’s work will be disqualified.
- Deadline for Submission is March 15, 2019.
Submission Must Include
- Completed “Official Cover Sheet”
- Original Essay, Poem, or Visual/Performing Art Production based on one of the prompts above
- Artist/writer statement of intent. (100 word limit)
- Bibliography list of sources used.
Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Submission:
- Demonstrates evidence of insight and personal reflection.
- Communicates clearly the inspiration and intent of the piece in the artist’s statement.
- Approaches selected topic thoughtfully.
- Reflects artistry, skill and originality and in the case of a written entry, demonstrates cohesiveness, good grammar and syntax.
- Is memorable and engaging, purposeful and historically accurate.
Please Submit Completed Package To:
Howard Kummerman c/o
Cypress College Foundation Office
hkummerman@cypresscollege.edu