Reflective Essay and Graphics

“What Facing History and Ourselves Meant to Me”

            Facing History and Ourselves was the most rewarding class I have taken as a member of the Westborough high school community. I gained more knowledge than any other class, not only factual information but about myself. As a student I gained knowledge about the Holocaust and was shown every detail about it. I am glad that I learned what truly happened in the Holocaust and all the events that led up to it. As a person, I learned how I would act in certain situations and learned more about my identity when forced to make extremely complicated decisions. This class was an unforgettable opportunity to help shape my identity and find myself. I am grateful that I was able to participate in this opportunity and now move forward, more open and confident about myself and who I am.

                    In the beginning of the course, I was apprehensive about the class. Everyone seemed very quiet and it was a very random mix of students. But then as class went on,

I began to enjoy the energy I felt in class. I enjoyed coming to class, reflecting on myself, and allowing the quiet for deep thought about myself. It was relaxing and refreshing, almost like mental therapy. I felt myself becoming more complete on the inside, and felt that I was realizing more and more about myself after every blog we did. I am so grateful that I was able to experience a class solely on learning about World War 11 and the development of the Holocaust. For me it was very hard to understand how something as horrid as the Holocaust could occur, and by taking this course I was able to envision the political and social statuses as well as the cultural life that was present during Hitler’s uprising. I clearly see now the timeline that lead up to the Holocaust, and am glad that I was able to witness every social’s class’s view or personal experiences during the Holocaust and early 1940s, when Europe was at its worst. It made me understand how trapped everyone was, no matter what religion or nationality, and how Hitler’s Party and the Nazis had everyone reigned in on such a tight rope.

            There came a profound meaning to every activity we did or movie we watched and I gained something new or positive about myself from each blog I wrote or film we watched. The book entitled, “The Bear” was easy to relate to, as sometimes I feel that I am shaped by the people that surround me and try to be someone who I am not, when all I really want to be is myself. In high school it is so easy to be influenced by what others are saying about you that sometimes it is hard to remember to always be yourself. I think the most interesting film that we watched in class for me was “A Class Divided”. It shocked me to see how easily the children could discriminate one another and made me realized that as humans we can easily discriminate and that is why our world is so divided. The word "equal" became much more important to me and I think Mrs. Elliot is a brilliant teacher and has taught her class a lesson that every elementary teacher should teach. I also was extremely touched by “The Freedom Writers”. This movie has become one of my favorite movies and I feel that so much can be learned from this movie. I remember being glued to the screen at the front of the classroom, and not wanting to leave once the bell rung but continue watching until the end. The movie taught me to seize upon any opportunity and to be grateful that I grew up in Westborough as part of our school systems. It was easy to relate to Ms. G, and her compassion and dedication to her kids was inspiring. I try to complain less and less about the little things that bother me and realize how lucky I am. I was very influenced and moved by the movie "The Swing Kids". I felt that it was easy to relate to the kids featured in the film. I was able to put myself in their shoes and think of what I would do if I were living during the 1930s in Germany. The trapped feeling was scary and helpless, and I understand why so many people joined the Nazi Party. The movie that stuck with me about the Holocaust would be “The Grey Zone”. As disturbing as it was, I will never forget the images that I saw, and the sense of helplessness I felt for all the prisoners in the death camp. I cannot even begin to imagine the level of torture to which these innocent people went through, and it pains me every time I try and reason it. However, I am glad that I watched it, and feel that I only gained personal insight and strengthened my identity in the process.

            Facing History and Ourselves taught me not only necessary facets about the Holocaust and other important events in history, but taught me about myself and who I am as student, person, and citizen. Engraved in my mind is the constant reminder to stray away from being a bystander, and to always stick up for what I believe in. I learned that I was born with a sense of compassion that drives me to feel others' pain deeply, and to be constantly seeking to help others. It took courage and strength to sit down in class every day and ask myself complicated questions and put myself in difficult situations, but it only made me a stronger person with a truer identity. I would like to thank Mr. Gallagher for his determination, dedication, and hard work in bringing this course to Westborough High School, and hope he knows that he is not only touching the lives of students but honoring those affected in the Holocaust every day he teaches.