Four proud winners took the prize in the Annual Krieger Memorial Essay Contest sponsored by the AASSSG, the American Society for Studies on Stress and Genocide. As in previous years, the subject of the essay was “What The Legacy of Genocide Means to Me.”
                The students had to research genocides that happened all around the world and current ones.  This was a new experience for many students because genocides are taboo in American culture. This essay surprised many students because it opened their eyes to a whole new world.
                 “Ignorance promotes violence, evil, and genocides. People become open to propaganda and brainwashing,” said Mr. George Hero, history teacher.
                The essay was difficult and time consuming, and this year we had four winners. The winners were invited to attend an award ceremony at the United Nations. Each student had a chance to present his or her essay and read a concluding statement at the end of the ceremony.
                Maggie Zhang ‘14, one student from Mr. Hero’s sophomore class, earned an A on her essay. “Even though it took hard work and determination, entering the Genocide Essay Contest was still a joy,” said Zhang. “I learned a lot about genocides in different parts of the world and it opened my eyes to a whole world I never knew.”
Previous first boy’s winner Usman Kazi ’13 wrote about the Holocaust and interviewed a friend’s grandpa who happened to be a Holocaust survivor. His hard work is reflected in his award-winning essay and his experience is unforgettable.
 “I felt surprised at first when I won first place and it was rewarding; the experience was nice, the information I learned was beneficial and the sense of people noticing my work is really great,” said Kazi.