To help students gain a deeper and stronger understanding of the atrocities committed by the Nazis, intervention specialist Ricky George and teacher Aimee Wehmeyer will introduce Jewish Community Center Holocaust Education Specialist Jesse McClain to their Summit Academy Middle and Secondary – Warren students for a November 19 presentation.
“Too many times, people forget about history. I wanted our students to hear about this from a person who specializes in speaking about the Holocaust,” says George.
Guest speaker McClain says he became a Holocaust educator out of his desire to understand how one human being could inflict such pain on another as did the Nazis and their collaborators against European Jews before and during World War II.
“I came to understand it is how we are brought up in the home and in society where we learn our values and morals can such erroneous beliefs and prejudices foster and grow,” says McClain, who was awarded a United States Holocaust Museum Mandel Fellowship in 1997.
McClain says he wants students to discover how joining together for what is right can prevent injustices. “Everyone deserves respect and understanding and compassion,” he says. “It is important for students to understand that love and compassion are stronger than hate and division and that action is always better than inaction.”
Sending the message that one can be a victim, rescuer, perpetrator or bystander in life, McClain hopes to underscore for students that largest group, bystanders, contribute to mass atrocities like the Holocaust. “The Holocaust and all genocides could have been prevented if the majority took action and spoke up. Never be a bystander,” he says.
George says he hopes students leave the presentation with a better understanding of the Holocaust and that they reflect on it. “I want them to understand that this was real and not just words in a history book,” he says.
On January 25, 2025, the Warren students will hear a Holocaust survivor speak at Stambaugh Auditorium. The free program and transportation to and from Stambaugh Auditorium are being offered by the Jewish Community Center.
A longtime educator, McClain serves as an adjunct faculty member at Youngstown State University and Kent State University where he teaches English. Now retired from an extensive career in K-12 education, McClain most recently served as the assistant principal and Language Arts Department chair for Boardman Center Middle School. He was named Boardman Teacher of the Year and was an Ohio Teacher of the Year finalist, both in 1990. A past principal for Glenwood Middle School in Boardman, McClain served decades as an elementary and middle school teacher and administrator. A Fulbright Scholar and United States Holocaust Museum Belfer Scholar, McClain has earned numerous other prestigious scholarships, honors and grants toward his research in the field.