FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2016, 12:00 p.m. CDT

Contact Jason Hogue, Peru State College Marketing and Communications, 402.872.2429

Peru, Nebraska- Members of Peru State’s Student Success Services visited the Institute for Holocaust Education in Ashland, Nebraska on February 12.  As part of the visit, students were immersed in several different opportunities to learn about the Holocaust perpetuated by the Nazi’s and their allies.

Peru State College student Michael Trivilino of Omaha, Nebraska said, “The documentary, museum tour and Dr. Kader’s story gave us a different perspective on the Holocaust from what we learned in high school.  There was so much more meaning and the day greatly impacted my understanding of the Holocaust.” 

Donna Walter, Education Coordinator for the Institute, led the group on a guided tour of the current exhibit, Searching for Humanity: Veterans, Victims and Survivors of World War II.  Nationally known artist, Matthew Placzek designed the exhibit with photos, memorabilia, and testimony of Nebraska Holocaust survivors, soldiers and those whose courageous actions liberated prisoners from concentration camps in Nazi-occupied Europe.
 
Upon entering the exhibit, an emotional journey unfolds for visitors as the images chronicle remarkable personal experiences of confronting one of the most inhumane periods in our world’s history. The exhibit “asks its audience to consider the search for humanity during the Holocaust and to reflect on man’s obligation to humankind."
 
Following the tour, Fred Kader, one of the Holocaust’s hidden children, spoke to the students about his heart-rending experiences and how he is piecing together his past and survival of the Shoah in Belgium.  Kader is a pediatric neurologist in Omaha.
 
Kader “has spoken publicly about his experience as well as about the horrors and the lessons of the Holocaust. ‘We have to tell our story because it’s the only way we can teach people what happened. You hope people will listen and you hope people will learn. If you know about it, then when you see bigotry in front of your eyes you’ll recognize it and then maybe you’ll try to put a stop to it.’”
 
Peru State Student Lilian Rewerts of Leavenworth, Kansas said, “It was a very sobering experience to hear Dr. Kader tell us about his life experiences.  His presentation was very personal.”
 
Peru State College Student Chloe Johnson of Sydney, Nebraska adds, “After everything Dr. Kader went through, it was nice to see the goodness that came out of such a horrible part of our history.  He is a doctor for children and has helped the world to be better.”

The Nebraska Holocaust Education Consortium is a group of Nebraska educators committed to teaching students and teachers the universal lessons of the Holocaust through age-appropriate resources. The consortium is committed to assisting educational institutions by training teachers using Holocaust materials that meet Nebraska State Standards and by providing other Holocaust educational resources to advance the knowledge and teaching skills of educators throughout Nebraska.

Holocaust Survivor, Dr. Fred Kader

Holocaust Survivor, Dr. Fred Kader

Peru State Students meeting with Dr. Fred Kader.

Dr. Fred Kader meeting with Peru State Students.

From left to right: Rose Villeda of Fairbury, NE; Samantha Wahle of Pacific Junction, IA; Marissa Florian of Wilber, NE; Katie Corey of Beatrice, NE; Kristen Edelman of Omaha, NE; Michael Trivilino of Omaha, NE; Lilian Rewerts of Leavenworth, KS; (below) Chloe Johnson of Sidney, NE; (above) Heather Greer of Independence, MO; (partially obscured) Meghan Tyburski of Cleveland, OH; Katie Evans of Independence, MO; Danielle Hall of Lincoln, NE; Dr. Fred Kader; Theresa Durst of Greenwood, NE; Mikaela Thompson of Omaha, NE; (partially obscured) Savana Yale-Barton of Peru, NE; Hailey Kaderabek of Daykin, NE; (above) Alison Roggenkamp of Sabetha, KS; (above) Hannah Jones of Auburn, NE; Taneesha Hunter of Peru, NE; Jordan Johnson of Omaha, NE; Peggy Groff, Student Support Services Coordinator.

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For more information, visit www.peru.edu or call 1-800-742-4412.

About Peru State College: Peru State’s “Campus of a Thousand Oaks,” an arboretum, is nestled in historic southeast Nebraska. The state’s first college, Peru State offers a unique mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management. It is a college of choice fostering excellence and student achievement through engagement in a culture that promotes inquiry, discovery and innovation.