Nearly 900 students from middle schools and high schools throughout the bi-state area submitted pieces to the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s 13th annual Art and Writing Contest. The 33 winners will be honored at an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Monday, May 11 in the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center’s theater, located in the Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Drive.

“The Art and Writing contest is a wonderful opportunity for young people who have visited the Museum or studied the Holocaust in their classrooms to respond creatively to what they have learned,” said Rachel Katzman, chair of this year’s contest. “Many of the submissions show a depth of understanding and amazing insight into the history and lessons of the Holocaust.  This important outreach program was established with the support of Dr. Ira (of blessed memory) and Judy Gall, and we are so appreciative of Judy’s continued participation.”

As in previous years, the contest is dedicated to the memory of the 1.5 million children who perished during the Holocaust and in honor of the Galls’ grandchildren.

More than $2,900 in cash prizes will be awarded to 33 winners. Numerous awards went to submissions from Kansas, and awards went to students in Wisconsin, Texas, Indiana and California. Winning submissions will be displayed in the Holocaust Museum theater and at other locations to be determined.

Judges for the visual art entries were members of the arts community, Jeff Hartz, John Lesser and Mary Ann Srenco. Judges for writing were Loie Riehl, retired educator, Judi Scissors, retired educator, and Sandy Snodgrass, retired teacher, currently with Webster University.

First-, second- and third-place winners are listed below. For a full list of winners, including honorable mention awardees, visit stljewishlight.com/2015-hmlc-contest.

Winners of the 2015 Art and Writing Contest are:

VISUAL ARTS- DIVISION 1 MIDDLE SCHOOL

First Place: “What Remains in Budapest,” Rachel Schneider, 8th Grade – Wydown Middle School

Second Place: “Victim,” Anna Sturmoski, 7th Grade – Wydown Middle School

Third Place: “Hope,” Johnson He, 8th Grade – Parkway Central Middle School

Honorable Mentions: “The Hopeless Journey,” Olivia Arnold, 8th Grade – Collinsville Middle School

“Escaping,” Chase Baker, 8th Grade – LaSalle Springs Middle School

“Resistance and Rescue in the Holocaust,” Mia Goff, 8th Grade – Parkway Central Middle School

“Seligman,” Donovan Scott-Gass, 8th Grade – Collinsville Middle School

“Sarah,” Gaby Webb, 8th Grade – Holy Infant School

VISUAL ARTS- DIVISION 2 HIGH SCHOOL

First Place: “Hope,” Hannah Hurst, 10th Grade – St. Vincent de Paul High School

Second Place: “We Could Have Saved More,” Katy Daiber, 12th Grade – Highland High School

Third Place: “Race of Phoenixes,” Grace Lister, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

Honorable Mentions: “Why Didn’t You Say Something?,” Kristina Byers, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

“History? I See His Story,” Hannah Curdt, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

“Grey Shadow,” Cheyene Metcalf, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

“Reflection,” Jacob Metcalf, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

“No Justice. No Peace,” KaVan Ward, 11th Grade – McCluer High School 

WRITING-DIVISION 1 MIDDLE SCHOOL

First Place: “Years and Tears,” Maddy Bale, 8th Grade – Wydown Middle School

Second Place: “The Remembrance Poem,” Grace Deis, 7th Grade – Platteville Middle School

Third Place: “Nightmares,”  Kiley Brennan, 8th Grade – St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Honorable Mentions: “Holocaust,” Ben Breeze, 8th Grade – Our Lady Catholic School

“The Hero, the Spectator,” Chloe Grubb, 8th Grade – Serra Catholic School

 “A Flash,” Bella Hicklin-Campbell, 8th Grade – Crestview Middle School

“The Boy Nazi,”  Liya Liu, 8th Grade – Parkway Central Middle School

“Empty,” Bella Ratliff, 8th Grade – West Noble Middle School

WRITING- DIVISION 2 HIGH SCHOOL

First Place: “The Butterflies Among Us,” Chandra Locke, 9th Grade – Ste. Genevieve R-II High School

Second Place: “The Burden of Memory,” Rachel Berwald, 12th Grade – Parkway Central High School

THIRD PLACE: “Out of the Ashes,” Kane Feldman, 9th Grade – St. James Academy

Honorable Mentions: “Remember,” Anna Holmquist, 9th Grade – St. James Academy

“Gone,” Jilli Jones, 9th Grade – St. James Academy

“I Feel Nothing,” Maggie Merz, 9th Grade – St. James Academy

“Freda,” Elise Radford, 9th Grade – St. James Academy

“1933-1945,” Nina Russell, 11th Grade – Central R-3 High School

“The Myth of Sisyphus,” Tiffany Wang, 11th Grade – John H. Guyer High School