PROGRAMS
Clara H. Isaacman Memorial Trunk Project
The Pennsylvania Holocaust Education Council invites you to participate in the Clara H. Isaacman Memorial Trunk Project. This program was created in 2004 to memorialize our dear friend and colleague, Clara Heller Isaacman. Many of you enjoyed contact with Clara when she visited your schools to speak about her experiences as a hidden child during the Holocaust or when you used her memoir, Clara's Story , in your classrooms.
The PHEC has developed two (2) trunks of Holocaust materials: one is appropriate for middle school and the other for high school. Each contains maps, reference materials, a classroom set of books, DVDs, nonfiction (memoirs and diaries) and fiction books. The trunk will become the property of the school and should be located in a centralized area such as the library or media center. Each piece will be catalogued by the library for its main collection with the site specified as the trunk, and the librarian will create a special list of trunk contents so materials can be checked in and out properly. One teacher or administrator should be named who will serve as the liaison between the school and the PHEC and oversee maintenance and usage of the trunk.
The value of the middle school trunk, $1,250, and the high school trunk, $1,500, includes shipping and handling. We hope to provide as many trunks as possible to schools in Pennsylvania that teach the Holocaust; however, this is dependent upon our fundraising capacity. Schools able to provide some of their own funding will receive priority in the selection process; for example, a donation for half the amount from your PTA or another source could be matched by the PA Holocaust Education Council or a private donor. If you would like to support your request with a donation to the PA Holocaust Education Council in memory of Clara H. Isaacman or anyone else, please indicate your intentions on the request form. Trunks donated in memory or honor of an individual will bear a plaque to that effect.
Faculty members and librarians who utilize and administer the trunk will be requested to attend a professional development session at a mutually agreed upon time; the purpose of this workshop is to provide teacher training on guidelines for use of the specific trunk contents. The workshop will be provided at no charge by members of the PA Holocaust Education Council and will be held at your school. Act 48 hours will be awarded.
In order to request a Clara H. Isaacman Memorial Trunk for your school, please fill out the attached form and submit to: Rebecca Aupperle, PA Holocaust Education Council Curriculum Coordinator, P.O. Box 42166, Philadelphia, PA 19101. Direct questions to: rebeccaaup@verizon.net or (856) 547-3518. Requests will be considered on the basis of the Holocaust education program in your school and to the extent that your and our fundraising permits.
**Download the application form by clicking here
Clara Isaacman Memorial Trunks have been placed in the following Pennsylvania schools
• Strath Haven Middle School, Wallingford
• Nazareth Area Middle School, Nazareth
• Downingtown High School West, Downington
• Fleetwood Area High School, Fleetwood
• Stern Hebrew High School, Philadelphia
• Conemaugh Township Area Jr./Sr. High School, Davidsville
• Springfield Township High School, Erdenheim
• Upper Dublin High School, Fort Washington
• Upper Dublin Middle School, Maple Glen
• Glendale Jr./Sr. High School, Flinton
• Nazareth Area High School, Nazareth
• Indian Crest Junior High School, Souderton
• North Pocono Middle School, Moscow
• Cocalico High School, Denver
• Central Mountain Middle School, Mill Hall
• East Stroudsburg University Jewish Student Association, East Stroudsburg (2 trunks)
• Abington Junior High School, Abington
• Lower Dauphin Middle School, Hummelstown
• Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice, Philadelphia
• Downingtown High School East, Exton
• Delaware County Christian School, Newtown Square
• Elkins Park School, Elkins Park
• Harding Middle School, Philadelphia
• Christ the Divine Teacher School, Latrobe
• Easton Area High School
• Nitschmann Middle School
• Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
• Good Hope Middle School
• Pennbrook Middle School
The Pennsylvania Holocaust Education Council has formed a trunk training committee. Members of this committee have developed professional development sessions for teachers and administrators in schools where trunks have been placed and are in the process of scheduling these sessions for the schools. For more information on the Clara Isaacman Memorial Trunk Program, please contact PHEC at info@phec.org
