Many among our future generations of leaders see the Holocaust, among other historic genocides as irrelevant and ancient, while some in academia actually question the Holocaust’s factual basis. It’s no surprise that Holocaust-denial, prejudice, and hate spread easily.

Few states make Holocaust instruction mandatory, and even so, programs are often limited, dry, and ineffective. These programs usually involve only historical context about the Holocaust; other genocides, warning signs of hatred, modern day relevance, and solutions for the future are seldom touched upon. With legislation pushed by high school sophomore Claire Sarnowski, in 2019, Oregon just became the 11th state to require Holocaust education in public schools.

Providing kids with proper education and tools are the keystones of repairing a broken world. And while genocide isn’t entirely preventable, taking these first steps will pave the way for generations to come.