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student reacts to lessons about the holocaust

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

What is it like to learn about a monumentally tragic time in history, write a poem about it and then meet some of the survivors of that time?

“It’s overwhelming,” Jaylen Hollis Janes said.
Jaylen, 13, studied the Holocaust as one of Deanna Smillie’s eighth-grade students at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Herrin.

Smillie not only studied the Holocaust herself, but a few years ago was chosen to study the Holocaust in Israel.
She has been opening the minds and hearts of her students in Herrin ever since.

This spring, Jaylen wrote a poem (above right) about the survivors for a contest being held in Skokie, Ill., where a new Illinois Holocaust Museum had just opened.

Jaylen’s poem won second place, and she was invited to Skokie to accept a $750 savings bond and meet some of the Holocaust survivors.

Jaylen’s mother, Andrea Janes and Smillie were among those from southern Illinois who attended the recognition dinner.

“It was amazing, beautiful and humbling,” Andrea Janes said of her experience in Skokie where they toured the new museum and met survivors.

Smillie said the museum has one of the train cars on display that was used to transport Jews to the camps.
One survivor, Samuel Harris, described how he survived as a child at the camp.

Harris told the group that when the guards were searching for the living, he hid under a cover of feces in one of the latrines. He was one of five who survived at that camp.

“You look at the survivors now,” Jaylen said, “and they look fine. It’s hard to imagine that this happened to them and they’re still here.”

Andrea Janes said the survivors seemed intent on speaking with the young people at the recognition.
The survivors told the children there were so few of them left, that it was up to the young people to continue to tell their story, she said.

Smillie said Jaylen was “very gracious and in awe of meeting the survivors.”

As one of Smillie’s students over the last few years, Jaylen has learned much about the Holocaust, she said.
“All the stories came to life for her through him (Harris),” Smillie said, and by “seeing the video footage at the museum.”

Andrea Janes said the museum is constructed so that you move from darkness when you begin your journey to light when you finish.

Smillie expects to continue teaching students about the Holocaust and is looking at ways to introduce age-appropriate information to her new fourth-grade homeroom students about to begin school.

To find out more about the museum on line, go to www.ilholocaustmuseum.org
Jaylen said she expects to continue writing poetry, and some of her writing can be found on a web site at www.allpoetry.com.

Questions of Horror
By: Jaylen Hollis Janes

Quiet
We are quiet.

They cannot find us.
Who are these men
with the rough voices
and neat uniforms?

Why do they take away the
starred ones?
Why are we thrown in the
big boxes?

Where are we going?
The lady next to me
died yesterday.
Why don’t they move her?

Why do we sit here for so long?
I’m hungry
and thirsty.
I’m tired.
What is happening?
What is this place?
Why can’t I stay with brother?
I’m so confused.
I want to go home.
I want to wake up.

I’m all alone, scared.
One of the men told me to take off my clothes,
so I did.

Many of us were thrown into the room.
Chamber doors locked,
loud noises heard.
Why are so many people crying?
What is about to happen?
Why can’t I breathe?

I blacked out,
as did the others.
My lungs exploded,
and my head throbbed.

Our souls flew,
and we will forever,
for our pain,
Be remembered.