The Mira Kimmelman 'Learning from the Holocaust' Contest 2025
Mira Kimmelman (1923-2019) was a Woman of Valor.
A Holocaust survivor who endured not only incarceration in Auschwitz, but a deadly and horrific death march to Bergen-Belsen, she turned to volunteering and education after coming to the United States. For over fifty years, she dedicated herself to the Jewish communities of Tennessee and Holocaust education efforts around the state. A twice-published author, she raised her voice in the hope that continuing education and remembrance of this atrocity would ensure that no one should suffer such atrocities ever again.
Contest Information
Mira Kimmelman challenged students to reflect upon the history of the Holocaust and contemporary examples of injustice for over fifty years. The contest continues her work and legacy, asking Tennessee students to create projects that reflect how the lessons of the Holocaust are relevant to current events and their own lives. The contest has both middle school and high school entry options, all of which prompt students to reflect on the lessons learned through the study of Holocaust history.
1st, 2nd and 3rd prize will be awarded in each of the following five categories:
Community College Visual Arts
High School Essay
High School Visual Arts
Middle School Essay
Middle School Visual Arts
Winners in community college and high school categories will receive prizes of $750 (1st place), $500 (2nd place) and $250 (3rd place).
Winners in middle school categories will receive prizes of $500 (1st place), $300 (2nd place) and $150 (3rd place).
- Teachers will receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card for each valid student entry from their class
FAQs
- Who is allowed to submit an application?
- Middle school, high school or community college students of any school.
- Are college students allowed to submit applications?
- Yes! There is a contest category for Community College students.
- Are home schooled students allowed to submit?
- Yes, as long as they are in the associated grade levels and submit in the proper contest.
- When should I submit materials?
- Please send all application materials in one email to tnholcom@tnholcom.org before June 1st for HS and MS and April 15th for CC.
- What does 'appropriate documentation' mean?
- Projects should be documented in their entirety, including a bibliography, photographs or videos, etc.
- Please include everything needed to accurately assess the process and product of the project.
- Are groups allowed to submit projects together?
- Groups are allowed to submit collaborative projects for the Visual Art contest, categories with up to four participants.
- Groups are not allowed to submit collaborative essays for the middle or high school essay prompts.
- An application must be submitted for each participant. Prize money will be shared equally among members of the group.
- How will projects be judged?
- A selection committee, including Kimmelman family members, will appraise the essays and projects according to the guidelines listed in the links above.
Please direct all questions to tnholcom@tnholcom.org.
Materials should be sent in an email to the above address with the subject line ‘Kimmelman (Last Name)’.
The deadline for Middle and High School submissions is June 1, 2024.
The deadline for Community College submissions is April 15, 2024.
2023 Winners
High School Essay
- Deborah George
- Karah Southworth
- Tatiana Mack
Middle School Essay
- Chelsea Walton
- Katelyn Brakett
- Tabitha Faith Eggert
Middle School Project
- Elijah Halford
- Adalyn Gee
- Tie: Shawntice Conley, Krystal Gomora, Renji Hua, & Michael Wang AND Brittany Palmore
Honorable Mention
Asher Earles, Ciemarrian Johnson, Joe Layne, Addy Bree Orr, Sarah Pritchard, Jaiden Russell, Emmalynn Starnes, and Eleanor Valentino
Resources
Video Resources
Mira Kimmelman's Books
For those interested in obtaining a complimentary copy of 'Echoes From the Holocaust', please email the Commission at tnholcom@tnholcom.org.
Videos of Mira Kimmelman's Public Speeches and Events
- Presentation to Jefferson Junior High School April 1984 (50 min)
- Lecture to students at the University of Tennessee April 1986 (54 min)
- Oral history interview at home with Max and Mira Kimmelman October 2, 1988 (56 min)
- Presentation to church congregation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee 1988 (50 min)
- Presentation to Campbell County, Tennessee Yom HaShoa Commemoration April 23, 1990 (1 hr 10 min)
- Presentation to Oak Ridge Chapter of Hadassah, Beth El Synagogue August 26, 1990 (38 min)
- Presentation to Webb School of Knoxville, Tennessee March 6, 1992 (46 min)
- Presentation to Religious Studies class at the University of Tennessee April 18, 1994 (54 min)
- Oral history series for the 50 year anniversary of the liberation of Bergen Belsen, four part interview by Jinx Watson and Joan-Ellen Zucker, Oak Ridge Community Television, April 1995 (4 hrs)
- Don Carson's "Viewpoint" interview with Mira Kimmelman circa 1994 (30 mins)
- Interview by Ken Yager on "Roane Report" August 21, 1997 (40 mins)
- Book interview with Mira Kimmelman February 1, 1998 (1 hr 15 min)
- CBS WVLT TV Knoxville Channel 8 "Survivor Series" 1998 (30 min)
- Lecture to teachers in Nashville, Tennessee February 2005 (1 hr)
- "Mira's Story" WBIR-TV 10 Knoxville February 2, 2006 (11 min)
- Presentation to Wackenhut Company April 2007 (45 min)
- Presentation to Bearden High School April 17, 2009 (40 min)
- Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, interviewed by Claire Robbins and Alice Feldman, Filmed by Albert Good, May 15, 2017