The fall semester of the School of Dialogue is behind us. We started with in-person workshops in mid-September, happy that Forum Educators could once again see the students in person. At the same time, we were ready, after the experiences gained in previous years, to change the formula to a remote one. Ultimately, the workshops took on a hybrid formula mixing in-person and online sections. Students from 17 towns and cities across Poland took part in the program.
Below is a list of all the schools participating in the School of Dialogue program in the fall of 2021:
- Piotr Skarga High School in Szamotuły
- Józef Bliziński Elementary School in Bóbrka
- Polish Noble Laureates Elementary School in Otwock
- Janusz Kusociński High School no 7 and Emil Waryński High School no 8 in Bydgoszcz (students from the two schools worked together on one project)
- Jan Walery Jędrzejewicz Elementary School no 2 in Płońsk
- May 3rd Elementary School in Kalisz
- Wacław Nałkowski High School no 1 in Wołomin
- Zygmunt Puławski Vocational Education Center in Świdnik
- 2nd Engineer Brigade Vocational School Complex no 1 and A. Frycz Modrzewski High School no 2 in Włodawa
- Irena Sendlerowa STO Bilingual Charter Elementary School in Ciechanów
- Józef Piłsudski Elementary School in Gidle
- European High School in Zgorzelec
- Correction Facility and Shelter for Minors in Koronowo
- Elementary School in Wińsko
- John Paul II Elementary School no 2 in Czersk
- Jan Kasprowicz High School no 2 in Kutno
- Edward Szylka High School Complex in Ożarów.
Congratulations!
Each of the project groups was to prepare either a walking or an online walking tour of places related to the Jewish community that once lived in their town. In addition to this obligatory point, students often opted for numerous additional activities. They organized urban trail games, film screenings, created exhibitions, posters and educational presentations, engaged in commemorative ceremonies or maintenance works at their local Jewish cemeteries. They talked to local experts and historians. Some noteworthy ideas were culinary in character, such as food festival organized in partnership with a local rural women’s association, or post-tour refreshments inspired by traditional Jewish dishes, such as the hamantaschen and apples dipped in honey. Activities were often documented on social media and reported in local newspapers and online journals.
This semester passed very quickly and, despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the pandemic, it was a very fruitful one. Now we have a tough task of evaluating the student commemorative projects and selecting this year’s nominees and winners. The results of our deliberations will be announced during the official School of Dialogue 2021 overview planned for early spring. We can’t wait!
