Inter-Lakes Middle High School students visit Holocaust exhibit

MEREDITH — In the quiet of the Meredith Public Library, Inter-Lakes Middle High School students stepped into the echoes of history, face-to-face with the Holocaust stories of survival, loss and resilience. On its second national tour, the traveling exhibition, Americans and the Holocaust was hosted by the Meredith Public Library.

Presented by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association, this exhibit previously visited 50 libraries on its first tour and is now continuing its journey, reaching an additional 50 libraries on its second tour.

Inter-Lakes Middle High School students were able to experience this museum through the coordination of Erin Apostolos and Matthew Buteau at the Meredith Public Library.

In addition to exhibits and documentaries, the museum incorporates The Butterfly Project, a nonprofit that combines art, education and making a ceramic butterfly as a memorial to the 1.5 million children killed during the Holocaust.

Last spring, to prepare students for the upcoming exhibition, Holocaust survivor Kati Preston shared her powerful story of resilience.

Preston’s visit helped the school community develop a deeper connection to her message of hope and healing. Both Preston’s compelling presentation last year and this fall’s traveling museum exhibit left a lasting impact on students and staff, offering a deeper, more immersive understanding of history through interactive displays, audio and live storytelling, and video experiences. This impactful experience provided through the exhibit was deeply emotional, educationally enriching and thought provoking for both the students and adults.

"We are profoundly grateful to the Meredith Public Library for bringing this powerful learning experience to our community. Thank you to Library Director Erin Apostolos, retired Teen Librarian Liz Rohdenburg, the library staff, and the many generous volunteers who helped to bring this experience to life. Your collective efforts made this an invaluable and truly memorable experience for our students and staff," said Mary Moriarty, Inter-Lakes superintendent.

For more information, visit interlakes.org