cap & gown yearbook teen 2 teen 064 Holocaust History Akiva students attend museum anniversary; hear Clinton, Wiesel. Tal Ershler Teen2Teen Staff Writer a hardcover book entitled Voices: The Past Is Still the Present. Culminating our studies was our y eighth-grade year trip to Washington, D.C., where at Akiva Hebrew we visited the U.S. Holocaust Day School has been Memorial Museum. We were truly a hands-on learning invited by Dr. Charles Silow experience. [director of the Program for In school, we read The Holocaust Survivors and Families, Chosen, The Diary of Anne a service of Jewish Senior Life of Frank and Night. We had Metropolitan Detroit] to attend speakers who taught us the the 20th-anniversary celebration Bill Clint on background leading up to the on April 29 and had the honor Holocaust and the nightmare to hear author and Holocaust of events during the Holocaust. survivor Elie Wiesel and former More significantly, we were President Bill Clinton. They matched with Detroit-area appealed to us to honor our youth Holocaust survivors, spend- by not only remembering our ing time with them during roots, but also by carrying on our Chanukah and Purim celebra- traditions in a positive way as a tions. We spent personal time legacy to all victims of genocide. Elie Wies el interviewing them about their One survivor told us "we are lives before, during and after the war. the inspiration:' Their recollections are being bound into It is a lesson that our eighth-grade M Akiva eighth-graders with Holocaust survivor Ernie Cappel; students attended the 20th-anniversary event of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. class will carry on in our backpack of goals. History is not only in the past; it must be remembered for a better future. This was the ultimate principle by which Mr. Wiesel lives. As he said, "I decided to devote my life to telling the story because I felt that having survived, I owe something to the dead. And anyone who does not remem- ber betrays them again:' ❑ Tal Ershler, 13, of West Bloomfield is an eighth-grader at Akiva Hebrew Day School in Southfield. Motivated By Memory Dunckel Middle School student puts together the school's first Relay for Life. Lexie Sittsamer Teen2Teen Staff Writer S tudents at Farmington Hills Dunckel Middle School participat- ed in the first Relay for Life at their school on May 8. Fourteen-year-old Alec Cohen, son of Carolyn and Steve Cohen of Farmington Hills, planned the afternoon event. Alec has always participated in the West Bloomfield Relay for Life as well as serving on the planning committee. He wanted to make the Relay for Life movement bigger, in addition to doing something to honor his Grandpa Bob, who passed away from can- cer in November 2011 — and for anyone else who has been touched by cancer. He presented the idea to Dunckel Middle School's student council and student council adviser Julie Stahr, who supported Alec in his desire to have a Dunckel Relay for Life. Students were asked to collect donations totaling a minimum of $25, with a goal of raising $1,000 total. Expectations were far exceeded, with more than 200 seventh- and 112 May 23 • 2013 JN Students at Dunckel Middle School participate in their own Relay for Life. weather. Bill and Susie Graham of West Michelle Silber and Sarah Yerke of the West Bloomfield were the keynote speakers Bloomfield Relay for Life and Alec Cohen and of the event. Their daughter Alex died Julie Stahr from cancer in 1998 at age 17. The Grahams spoke about their involve- eighth-graders in attendance and more than ment with the American Cancer Society $6,000 raised. and Relay for Life as well as the huge Participants spent their afternoon walk- impact that the money raised will make. ing the school track, which was bordered Parents and staff donated funds, supplies by luminary bags — bags lit by candles and prizes. that are dedicated in honor of people who Susan H. Zurvalec, superintendent of have passed away from cancer or those bat- Farmington Public Schools, also stopped by fling cancer — dancing to music, enjoying the event. snacks and water, and relishing the warm Alec and Stahr were both overwhelmed by the response. Stahr spoke briefly to the 200 students, reminding them that what they were doing was important and benefi- cial to the community. Dunckel will be leading the Community Lap at the West Bloomfield Relay for Life, which is taking place from 10 a.m. Saturday, June 8, to 10 a.m. Sunday, June 9, at West Bloomfield High School. To partici- pate, donate or for more information go to http://main.acsevents.org/. ❑ Lexie Sittsamer, 19, of Farmington Hills is a ris- ing sophomore at Western Michigan University In Kalamazoo.