The opinions expressed in these student films belong to the student filmmakers and do not necessarily express views of the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.

Senior Division

1st Place Senior Multimedia


Adia Colvin
Cape Henry Collegiate
Teacher - Ms. Amy Martin

 

Love
In today’s society, people are being exposed to more and more information. All of these voices, thoughts, and ideas are at the fingertips of impressionable audiences, which is as dangerous as it is wonderful. One particular idea that I have a problem with is the romanticization of abusive and toxic relationships presented in media targeting young girls. In my multimedia project, I have explained the issue and its consequences. I have shown the ways in which I seek to combat the issue, one of which being this video, which can arguably be seen as the most effective strategy.

2nd Place Senior Multimedia


Zaria Hall
Oscar Smith High School
Teacher - Ms. Cristina Foss

 

Little Miss Perfect
In my video, “Little Miss Perfect,” there was a girl who had a perfect image and was the school sweetheart. That all changed when she went to a college party with her best friend. The party was her first time drinking so she couldn’t handle herself. She got so drunk that she took off her bra and was wearing it on top of her shirt. The next day, she wakes up to her best friend telling her what happened and seeing that a video of her drunk behavior has gone viral. She goes to school the next day, and both of her best friends have turned on her, and she is being teased by guys at school. Later that day, she tells her best friend that she just wants to die, but her best friend just thinks that she is being extra. After seeing how everyone has turned on her, she kills herself.


 

 

Junior Division

1st Place Junior Multimedia


Elizabeth Goldstein
Plaza Middle School
Teacher - Ms. Grace Bonsall

 

Stronger than Hate
The purpose of this video is to shed light on the Holocaust and how the courageousness of survivors has kept the small flame that is our religion alive. The stories I included snippets of, show the bravery the survivors exemplified at very young ages. Since some of the horrors of the Holocaust still haunt us today in the form of modern day antisemitism, I had to include that we, Jews, are still affected by it on regular basis. However, I wanted to create this piece to show that, with strength of our completely innocent people, we have not let anybody nor will we let anybody claim our lives, traditions, or faith. The phrase on the locket means, “life,” so I told this story of the incredible LIFE of Judaism and how we are resilient, kind, loving, inspiring, and most of all, “STRONGER THAN HATE!”

2nd Place Junior Multimedia


Arianna Gabriel
Plaza Middle School
Teacher - Ms. Grace Bonsall

 

Making a Change
Let’s go back to the early 1930s Germany. Hitler had just come into power, thus marking the beginning of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a tragic event in history, where Jews were forced into hiding as a means of survival. Due to their religion, Jews were thrown out of their homes and sent to concentration camps, such as Auschwitz, to be killed at the hands of Nazi soldiers, which tore families apart. This lead to the murder of 6 million Jews. Back then, they didn’t have the same forms of advanced technology that we have today, such as twitter, snapchat, Instagram, and so many other forms of communication. Social media has helped to inform the world of problems that we face, and spread awareness among our younger generations. There’s a famous quote by Martin Niemoller that states, “First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.” Through the use of social media, many people, including children, have truly found their voice to speak up about immigration, gun control, equality, and other problems that we face in today’s society. Together, we can speak up and make a change.

 

3rd Place Junior Multimedia


Darcy Foster
Norfolk Collegiate
Teacher - Ms. Jill Archer

 

Living as a Jew in Modern Day Society

In my movie, I talk about the struggles that I have had with being a young Jewish person while a lot of hate crimes are going on, like the Charlottesville rally. The people that protested inspired me to stand up for what I believe in. Many more people should not stand behind a screen and type what they believe in, but, instead, get out and be heard. Also, people should become aware and teach others about the Holocaust and how society can hopefully prevent history from repeating itself.