The Importance of Holocaust Education
For the last 20 years, the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge has sponsored the Annual Holocaust Writing Contest. This contest is free and open to all public, private and charter middle schools and high schools throughout the state of Louisiana. Our purpose for this contest is to encourage students to learn about and understand the lessons of the Holocaust, including the nature and repercussions of unchecked hate and prejudice taken to their ultimate extreme. The premise is simple - use the lessons of the Holocaust to encourage tolerance, acceptance and respect for others.
Teaching about the Holocaust allows us to understand the impact of history on our society; the impact of history on human beings; and to study the impact individuals can have on history. We must stop seeing the Holocaust as a single event but rather as several individual and combined elements which led to the genocide of Jewish people during the Second World War. Since the Holocaust, the world has been repeatedly traumatized by racial, religious and ethnic persecution, often rooted in ignorance and fear.
This year, we are offering the opportunity to CHOOSE which question best fits YOUR curriculum. Please choose either Prompt I or Prompt II.
The contest has two divisions: the middle school division (6th – 8th grade) and the high school division (9th -12th grade). Regardless of which prompt you select submissions will be reviewed by grade levels.
2026 Holocaust Essay Contest Winners
Middle School
1st Place
John Sides, LSU Laboratory School
Teacher: Alexandra Bailey
2nd Place
Shreya Singh, Dutchtown Middle School
Teacher: Laura LeBlanc
3rd Place
Rowan Marks, LSU Laboratory School
Teacher: Alexandra Bailey
High School
1st Place
Madeline Falcon, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge
Teacher: Julie Weaver
2nd Place
Adelyn Broussard, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge
Teacher: Julie Weaver
3rd Place
Jake Friedland, Catholic High School
Teacher: Adriane Metz
Essay Writing Guidelines
Entries must be typed, double-spaced, and include a title page that lists the author’s name, school, teacher, grade, phone number, and email address. Submissions missing requested information will automatically be disqualified. Essays will NOT be returned.
o Middle School essays should be no more than 250 words
o High School essays should be 250 – 500 words
Entries must be postmarked by March 10th
Teachers may send a MAXIMUM of ten essays per classroom
Entries are to be mailed to
Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge
14241 Coursey Blvd., A-12 #356
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Contest finalists will be contacted ahead of time, and winners will be announced at a special Holocaust Memorial Service.
Details of this event will follow later.
Prizes will be awarded in each division of the contest.
1st place $50 gift card to Barnes & Noble, $50 cash
2nd place $35 gift card to Barnes & Noble, $25 cash
3rd place $35 gift card to Barnes & Noble, $20 cash