The fourth annual Stronger Than Hate Challenge is now open and offers students the opportunity to win $10,000 in prizes. Students aged 13-18 are encouraged to submit a project by May 26, 2022, demonstrating how testimony can create a community that is stronger than hate.
Full rules and submission details are available here.
The Stronger Than Hate Challenge demonstrates the power of learning from the past and raising one’s voice to counter hate. The Challenge is presented by USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education (USC Shoah Foundation) and Discovery Education, the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.
“Student voices have the power to change the world. The Stronger Than Hate Challenge empowers students to raise their voices through the power of storytelling to not only counter hate, but promote empathy, understanding, and respect as well,” said Lesly Culp, USC Shoah Foundation’s Interim Director of Education. “We are eager to see the submissions this year and thank Discovery Education for their continued partnership. Together, we are building a more just and equitable society through education.”
Previous finalists and winners submitted projects on a range of relevant and impactful topics that addressed hate in their communities. The 2021 winner – Madhalasa I. from Plano Senior High School of the Plano Independent School District in Texas – created the multi-media poem emphasizing the importance of standing up for what’s right in order to stop history from repeating itself. The Challenge, which can be self-guided or teacher led, provides students with a platform to address key issues in their communities by creating projects addressing the themes of identity, diversity, inclusion, and more. View all the previous winners here.
The Stronger Than Hate Challenge builds upon Teaching with Testimony – USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education’s no-cost, standards-aligned educational initiative. This program provides educators with high-quality digital resources that empower students to create a better future by listening to and learning from the testimony of survivors and witnesses of genocide.
“The Stronger Than Hate Challenge exemplifies the power of connecting students to social and emotional learning as a tool to improve the world,” said Lori McFarling, President of Social Impact at Discovery Education. “Since 2018, we’ve had the honor to collaborate with USC Shoah Foundation on this important initiative. Social and emotional wellness is critical for growth and confidence, and we are committed to empowering students with the resources they need to combat hate and build resilient empathy.”
Learn more at TeachingwithTestimony.com/challenge and within the Teaching Tolerance channel on Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform.
Learn more about their SEL work HERE.
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