Thank you for participating in the Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest. This page is designed to support you every step of the way to help create a meaningful learning experience for your students.
The Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest challenges high school students in Nebraska and parts of Iowa to explore the meaning and importance of moral courage through historical and contemporary examples.
Inspired by the actions of the Danish people who, during World War II, risked their lives to help more than 7,200 Jews escape Nazi persecution and reach safety in Sweden, the contest encourages students to examine how individuals and groups can stand up for what is right despite personal risk.
Essays must include a definition of moral courage, analyze at least one example from the Holocaust and one from another time period, as well as explain how these lessons remain relevant today.
Through this project, students will learn how to:
1. Analyze moral behavior and become better educated about contemporary moral issues
2. Understand prejudice and discrimination, and the harm they inflict on society
3. Better understand their connection to the Holocaust
4. Learn how to work proactively to ensure that history will not be repeated
5. Develop useful research skills
The contest aims to help students connect the history of the Holocaust to present-day challenges and recognize their own ability to make a positive impact in their communities and the wider world. Cash prizes are awarded to the top essayists, including $800 for first place, $550 for second place, and $300 for third place.
We reserve the right to disqualify any essay that is not written by yourself (the student). This can include but is not limited to: Insufficient or incorrectly cited bibliography, plagiarism, using ChatGPT etc.
*The essays, when used as a classroom assignment, can address multiple Nebraska State Standards in reading, writing and social studies.
The Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest now has two deadlines!
If you plan to use this project as a first-semester assignment, you can get your students’ entries in early.
First Semester Deadline: Dec. 4, 2026
Second Semester Deadline: Feb. 24, 2027
The contest is entirely free of charge, submissions are judged by grade level, and all entries must be completed online.
Ready to submit? Head over to ihene.org/for-students/essay-contest/.
The Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest is generously funded by the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation.
This kit includes official photographs from the Tribute to the Rescuers judging session and awards night. These images are cleared for use in newsletters, school announcements, and social media channels to highlight your students’ achievements and raise awareness for the contest.
In this kit, you will find a poster and additional graphics to share with parents and your school community about the Tribute to the Rescuers. Please help us share this information to support and sustain this meaningful educational experience.
If you or your school share information on social media, we would greatly appreciate your help in raising awareness about this important and impactful educational program.
When posting on Facebook or Instagram, please tag: @IHENE
In addition to any hashtags you may already use, we ask that you include:
#TributetoTheRescuers #moralcourage #HolocaustEducation #ihene
To make posting easy, we have provided a few sample social media captions below. Feel free to use them as written or tailor them to reflect your students’ unique experiences and takeaways from the day.
Thank you for helping us share the importance of Holocaust education and inspiring future generations to choose humanity, compassion, and courage in the face of injustice.
Option 1:
So proud of my students for diving deep into Holocaust history and empathy through this year’s @IHENE Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest.
Writing these essays wasn’t just an assignment, it was an opportunity for our class to explore the power of moral courage and celebrate those who stood up for others.
🔗 Learn more about the program at ihene.org/for-students/essay-contest/
#moralcourage #TributetoTheRescuers #HolocaustEducation #ihene
Option 2 (attending awards night):
Our students took on the Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest, reflecting on history’s unsung heroes and the power of standing up for what’s right. Ready to celebrate their hard work at the awards night! 🏆👏
Thank you to the @ihene and the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation for making this incredible experience possible for our classrooms.
👉 ihene.org/for-students/essay-contest/
#moralcourage #TributetoTheRescuers #HolocaustEducation #ihene
The Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching the history and lessons of the Holocaust through educational resources, professional development, survivor testimony, and arts-based programming. Serving students, educators, and the broader community, IHE fosters critical thinking about prejudice, racism, human rights, moral responsibility, and civic engagement while supporting Holocaust survivors and their families in our region. Through its programs, IHE empowers learners of all ages to understand the causes and consequences of the Holocaust and apply its lessons to contemporary challenges.
For more information, visit IHE’s website: https://ihene.org/.
Jane Nesbit, Education Director
Institute for Holocaust Education
333 South 132nd Street
Omaha, NE 68154
402.334.6453
JNesbit@ihene.org
