LEWISTON — Beginning in the fall of 2009, Lewiston High School has offered a self-paced Holocaust Studies course. Students conduct an independent study, with the requirements including the reading of at least 2,500 pages of Holocaust-related books, viewing 10 hours of related films and writing reflective essays.

Upon completion of this work, students then write a capstone essay addressing the following question: “Why is it important that the remembrance, history and lessons of the Holocaust be passed to a new generation?” The essay is then submitted as an entry for the Lawrence Alan Spiegel Remembrance Scholarship.

Upon completion of all course requirements, students receive a semester credit from Lewiston High School and are deemed Scholars of the Holocaust by the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine. Thus far, more than 20 students have begun working on Holocaust Studies, with Russ Caligiuri Jr. being the first student to complete the course.

Jacqueline Littlefield, education outreach coordinator at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, helped select the books and films for the course, and the Lewiston Education Fund provided financial support to make the course possible.

Jeffrey Sullivan teaches history at Lewiston High School and is the coordinator of the course.