Robyn Blank ('97)
 It’s
hard to believe nine years have passed since I participated in the
Holocaust Remembrance Project. When asked to write this update, I was
told how much the program has grown. I am proud to be able to say I was
an early part of a contest that has become so large and affected so
many. In 2003, I graduated from Emory University with a degree in psychology, and just a few months ago received my JD from Florida State University College of Law. Spurred on by the loss of many Holocaust survivors she knew growing up, including my grandmother, Cela, my mother has been instrumental in creating a curriculum for teaching the Holocaust and organizing lectures, workshops, and speaking to countless classes in the Tallahassee area. It is an honor to assist her in this greatest of good deeds. Just for fun, I Googled myself the other day. I find it fitting that the first result is my essay for this contest. If I never do anything else Google-worthy in my life, I am content knowing that my family’s stories have been told and are available for everyone to read. With so few survivors left, this essay contest serves an even greater purpose than scholarship and education—it is an ongoing mission to preserve the stories of the Holocaust. Congratulations to this year’s winners, and, on behalf of my family, a sincere “thank you” for your efforts to ensure that we never forget. |