JFR EVP Stanlee Stahl (l) with Kristi Ugland (r)
Two South Carolina teachers were among just 25 educators selected from 10 states and Poland to participate in the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Summer Institute for Teachers, an intensive seminar focused on Holocaust education.
Abbi Green, who teaches at Pleasant Knoll Middle School in Fort Mill, and Kristi Ugland of Bishop England High School on Daniel Island were among those selected from South Carolina to attend the five-day program held in June in New Jersey. The seminar is known for its rigorous, graduate-level curriculum exploring the history of the Holocaust and effective strategies for teaching it in today’s classrooms.
JFR Executive Vice President Stanlee Stahl described the goals of the Summer Institute as: “to provide teachers with a graduate-level course on antisemitism and the Holocaust; to empower educators to develop pedagogical connections with other teachers; and to equip these teachers with additional resources to bring back to their classrooms.”
For Green, the experience offered not only academic depth but also practical tools she plans to incorporate into her lessons. “I am very excited to use Salvaged Pages by Alexandra Zapruder,” she said, referring to the book that compiles diaries and journals of teenagers who lived through the Holocaust. “When students hear ‘Holocaust diary,’ they think Anne Frank, so I’m excited to pull the wealth of experiences [into the classroom].”
Green emphasized the importance of combating misinformation among students, particularly in an age dominated by social media. “I think that the Holocaust is important to teach to get rid of any misconceptions, denials or distortions,” she said. “Social media is where students get so much of their information now, and they think they already know a lot because they saw an Auschwitz video on TikTok.”
Reflecting on the seminar as a whole, Green called it a profoundly meaningful opportunity. “I really think it was a transformative experience, and I can’t emphasize that enough,” she said.
The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, which also provides support to 73 Righteous Gentiles — aged and needy non-Jews who risked their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust — offers the Summer Institute as part of its mission to advance Holocaust education and preserve this history for future generations.