The HEAL program reaches students from Palm Beach County and surroundings. Students are eligible to earn scholarships upon successful development of a Holocaust Education Program for their middle and high school.

 

        Students who attend public, parochial, private and charter schools, as well teenagers from faith-based organizations, are educated on the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides through listening to survivors testifying about their personal history.  

 

        Over a period of  approximately fourteen weeks, by attending three HEAL clinics, students are shown historical segments surrounding the survivor’s story through film and interaction with the survivor.  Students learn about leadership and advocacy skills, program planning, as well as social commitment from leaders in their communities and from the facilitators of the program.

 

        In the time during and after the clinics take place, students develop a program of Holocaust Education Advocacy at their own schools or faith-based organizations using such media as art, poetry, videography, music, contests, educational fairs, etc.  

 

Students become "HEALeaders".  

 

        This is accomplished under the direction of a HEAL facilitator cooperating with teachers, administrators, youth leaders, and clergy from schools and faith organizations.  The clinic coordinator is an accomplished Holocaust educator who, through this unique program, moves the gauge of Holocaust and genocide education, hate, and antisemitism awareness to a higher and meaningful level for "HEALeaders" and their organizations.

 

        Teachers, Youth Leaders, and Clergy nominate no more than six (6) students in grade 8 and/or up to six (6) students in grades 9-11. Those chosen are told of the commitment of 15 hours required to accomplish the goal of "paying-it-forward" by creating an original program for their school or organization.

 

They are informed of the opportunity to earn community service hours, as well as earning financial incentives to participate on a trip to Poland, or an alternate educational opportunity to further their education in Holocaust and Genocide Awareness and positive civic action.