In honor and loving memory of Ida S. Kramer (1926-2015) who has been the voice of Holocaust education for Quad City schools, civic groups, and the community at large for over 30 years, the Quad Cities Yom HaShoah Committee sponsors the annual The Ida S. Kramer “Children and the Holocaust” Essay Contest for Quad City area (Illinois and Iowa) students in grades 6-12. Thousands of school children and educators have heard Ida speak about the rise of Nazi Germany, the discrimination and concentration of Jews in ghettos and camps, their eventual murder by an efficient killing machine, and the willingness of the citizenry to stand by and let it happen. Because essential lessons are to be learned, may we never forget them.
Theme: Children and the Holocaust
The title of the essay may be original and may be on the first page of the essay or on a separate cover sheet. Essay must be submitted electronically to: aross@jfqc.org
Deadline: March 1 (annually)
Entry form: 2025 Contest Entry Form
2025 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Lucy A. (10th grade), Bettendorf HS – "Margot Heuman: Maneuvering the Malicious Horrors of the Holocaust"
2nd Place: Addison F. (10th grade), Bettendorf HS - "The Resilience of Hanna Frank"
3rd Place: June S. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "The Devastation of the Holocaust"
2024 Essay Winners:
1st Place: "Name withheld" (11th grade), Pleasant Valley HS – "Darkness into Light"
2nd Place: Phuo D. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "Echoes of Tragedy: Remembering the Holocaust"
3rd Place: Cady D. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "The Price of Hatred"
2023 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Isabella W. (6th grade), Homeschooled – “Anne Frank Died, But Her Diary Lives with Us”
2nd Place: Claire A. (8th grade), Riverdale Middle School – “The Writings of Dawid Sierakowiak”
3rd Place: Claire M. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "One Child's Experience in the Holocaust"
Honorable Mentions: Jack G. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "A View of the Holocaust"; Ashlyn A. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "Worldly Impact of the Holocaust"; Faith P. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "The Madness of Man"; Adalyn L. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - "Remembering the Holocaust and Anne Frank."
Special Mention: Yosef T. (10th grade), Homeschooled - "Moshe Kluger, A Man of Strength"
2022 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Levi T. (10th grade) & Yosef T. (9th grade), Homeschooled – “Mindel’s Journey” (Mindel Hershkowitz Kluger)2nd Place: Alex M. W. (8th grade), Rivermont Collegiate – “A Night We Should Never Forget” (Elie Wiesel)
3rd Place (Tie): Zoe D. F. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School – “A Time to Never Forget” (Aaron Elster). Paige S. (10th grade), Geneseo High School – “Her Triumph” (Irene Butter)
2021 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Lila T. (11th grade) Pleasant Valley High School - “Never Forget: A Story of Hope and Forgiveness” never-forget-essay-1Download
2nd Place: Mary R. (10th grade) Assumption High School - “Mengele’s Twins”
3rd Place: Anna P. (7th grade) Central DeWitt Middle School -“The Undercover German Beauty”
Honorable Mentions: Christina R. (8th grade), St. Joseph’s Catholic School - “A Time in History Never to Forget”
Ryan M. (8th grade), St. Joseph’s Catholic School - "Survivors: The Children of the Holocaust Story”
2020 Essay Winners:
1st Place – Taylor P. (12th grade), Moline High School - “Dancing to Survive, Forgiving to Live: The Story of Dr. Edith Eva Eger” Taylor Essay
2nd Place – Brooke B. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - “Death, Fear, and Sadness”, Sponsoring Teacher: Demi Franck Brooke Essay1
3rd Place – Garrison C. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - “Remembering the Holocaust”, Sponsoring Teacher: Demi Franck Garrison Essay
Honorable Mention
Isabelle P. (8th grade), St. Joseph Catholic School - When Weiss’ Life Changed”; Mary R. (9th grade), Assumption High School - “Schindlerjuden: The Life and Story of Leon Leyson”; Claire U. (8th grade), Clinton Middle School - “Renia Spigel: The Holocaust”
2019 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Kayla S., (10th grade), Florida Virtual School - “Prospecting through Anguish” (The Story of Eva Schloss); Teacher: Shavon Ramos Prospecting Essay
2nd Place: Taylor P. (11th grade), Moline High School - “Finding Strength in Literature: The Harrowing Story of Dita Kraus” Finding Strength Essay
3rd Place: Mary K. (8th grade), John F. Kennedy Catholic School - “Hidden Children” (The Story of Edith Schwalb) Hidden Children Essay
Other Essays Submitted:
Maya B. (12th grade), Bettendorf High School -“Meeting Marguerite” (The Story of Marguerite Mishkin) Bettendorf HS English Teacher: Connie King
Laman H. (12th grade), Mercer County High School - “Doris Warschawski: Germany to Shanghai, Then to the Land of Freedom”
2018 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Oliver I. K. (7th grade), Davenport Creative Arts Academy; “A Flame of Hope-The Legacy of Dr. Ralph Troll” 2018 Oliver K. essay
2nd Place: Taylor A. P. (10th grade), Moline High School; “Elie Wiesel: Surviving the Night and Leaving a Legacy”
3rd Place: Korina L. S., (7th grade),
Davenport Creative Arts Academy; “Child of the Holocaust-The Story of Dr. Ralph Troll”
Honorable Mention: Elizabeth C. K. (10th grade), Sherrard High School, “Inside Look on Cary Krell’s Life”
2017 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Grace H.,(12th grade), Davenport Central High School, “Fighting for Freedom: Simone Segouin’s Brave Resistance to Nazi Persecution” 2017 Grace Essay
2nd Place: Noor A., (10th grade), Davenport Central High School, “Marion-The Lady Who Inspired Me”
3rd Place: Amen G., (12th grade), Scattergood Friend’s School, “Living Memory: The Holocaust’s History and Ethiopia’s Future” (Marion Blumenthal)
2016 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Sam R., (8th grade), Pleasant Valley Junior High, “Greatest Respect for Humankind” (the story of Yanek Gruener) 2016 Sam Essay
2nd Place: Jessica C., (8th grade), Clinton Middle School, “The Life of Hana Brady”
3rd Place: Iryna K., (11th grade), Rock Island High School, “Irving Roth’s Struggle for Existence”
2015 Essay Winners:
1st Place: Allison S., (11th grade), North Scott High School, “Forgiveness is the the Seed of Peace: Eva Kor’s Journey in Abolishing Hate” 2015 Allison Essay
2nd Place: Kwamena Addo Nhyria H.
3rd Place: Stephanie B.
2014 Essay Winner: Alex B.,(11th grade), North Scott High School, “I Wasn’t Even Eighteen:” Pierre Seel’s Holocaust as a “175er” 2014 Alex Essay
2013 Essay Winner: Rachel C., (8th grade), Edison Junior High School, “Children and the Holocaust” 2013 Rachel Essay