Holocaust Center for Humanity - Southwest Washington Student Leadership Board
Developing compassionate leaders through education & action. Get involved and make a difference!
About the program
In 2023, it was determined that the Holocaust Center for Humanity's Student Leadership Board (SLB) would be split into three separate satellite groups: Seattle (the main group operated by the Holocaust Center staff), Spokane, and Southwest Washington (based out of Kalama High School).
Since 2020, Southwest Washington has had a strong presence in the SLB, and continues to show support for the Holocaust Center for Humanity's mission and goals. The Kalama-based group organizes a variety of educational activities every year, including Holocaust Speaker events, annual trips to Seattle and the Holocaust Center for Humanity, the Southeast Asian New Years Festival, and more.
SLB applications for the 2025-2026 school year will open in May 2025.
Click and expand the sections below to learn more about the program.
Upcoming events
April 14, 2025: Opening of the "Echoes of Survival" artifact exhibit
In partnership with the Kalama Public Library and the Holocaust Center for Humanity, the Southwest Washington SLB is proud to have collaborated and curated the creation of an exhibit of local artifacts that have long been kept in the archives of the Seattle Holocaust Center.
The exhibit connects the lives of Jews before, during, and after the Holocaust through many different artifacts -- both genuine and replica -- providing a connection to the history of Kalama. An opening ceremony and unveiling will be held on Monday, April 14 at 6 p.m. The exhibit will run for two weeks (until April 25) during the public library's regular operating hours. At the opening ceremony, representatives from the Holocaust Center for Humanity, Kalama School District, and the City of Kalama will be in attendance, as we hear from a local survivor.
Date TBD: Kalama Elementary School Butterfly Project
The Butterfly Project was started as an effort to acknowledge and create ceramic butterflies as a means to commemorate the 1.5 million children lost in the Holocaust. To assist Kalama Elementary students with lessons of the Holocaust, the SLB will work with several classrooms to create ceramic butterflies as well as a mural.
April 2025: Portland Jewish Cemetery Clean up
April 2025: SE Asian New Years Festival
April 2025: Interview with Survivor Carla Peperzak
May 2025: Oregon Jewish Museum
June 2025: End of the Year Celebration and Bainbridge Island
Fall Retreat
Each fall, the Student Leadership Board meets at a local (often Jewish) camp to collectively kick off our year of learning. This fall retreat is a chance for all three SLB satellite groups to meet and get to know each other, as we work to make the goals of the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity a reality.
Aside from learning, the fall retreat is a time of comradery, fun activities, and immersing ourselves in cultural activities.
The images below are photos from our 2024 retreat to Camp Kalsman in Bellevue, WA in September. Next fall, we will be meeting at Camp Solomon Schechter in Olympia, WA.
This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of George Elbaum and Mimi Jensen, Paul and Leora Bloom, and Errol and Ruth Ann Ger. Special thanks also goes to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Event photos
About the advisor
Michael Ready has been an active member of the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity since 2017. In 2019, he became a Powell Fellow and joined their Educators for Change board.
Having had students on the virtual Student Leadership Board since 2020, when discussions arose about establishing a satellite SLB in the Southwest Washington region, Michael volunteered to lead the program. Since its creation, he has been so excited to see the wonderful things the group has accomplished!
Michael has a MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and is in the process of finishing his Ph.D. in the same field, focusing most of his research on Queer persecution and genocide. Aside from this, he also has done extensive research on gender and genocide, the role of Christianity in the Holocaust, and the experience of children in genocide.
If you have any questions or wish to contact Mr. Ready about the SLB, please email him at michael.ready@kalama.k12.wa.us.
For more info visit the Holocaust Center for Humanity website here.
