Awards & Scholarships

The Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership

Every year our Board nominates the Gerda Haas Award recipients. Gerda Haas, founding mother of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, has inspired many with her passion for human rights education. A Holocaust survivor originally from Germany, Gerda learned that students weren’t being taught about the Holocaust in Maine schools. Gerda not only identified a critical educational void, she took action to rectify it. The Holocaust and Human Rights Center welcomes the opportunity to recognize and honor an individual who, like Gerda Haas, has demonstrated excellence and initiative in human rights education and leadership.

2026 Gerda Haas Award Winners

We are so proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership, the Center’s highest honor. This year’s recipients are: Sue Roche, Executive Director of the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP); Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director of the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition (MIRC); Claudette Ndayininahaze,‍ ‍Executive Director of In Her Presence; and Madeleine Saucier, Executive Director of Hope Acts. These extraordinary women are recognized for their leadership in advancing human dignity, strengthening communities, and expanding opportunities for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers throughout Maine. Together, the four organizations reflect the enduring values the Gerda Haas Award, which was established to recognize individuals and organizations whose work reflects the values at the heart of HHRC’s educational mission. Through legal services, education, leadership development, housing, and community support, they have strengthened Maine communities while affirming the dignity and worth of every person.

Corey Hinton, 2023

Mary Bonauto, 2022

We are so grateful to award Jack Montgomery the Distinguished Service Award. Jack has been connected to the HHRC since its founding. In the 1980s he took stunning portraits of Maine Holocaust survivors, many of them founders of the HHRC and has remained a valued member of our community for all these years.

Five years ago, Jack decided it was time to create a book to conjoin his portraits with their personal stories. and so he did, and the result is From the Holocaust to Maine: Testimonies of the Survivors. Writes Jack, “The things we save can become the means for our recovery. I am moved by every aspect of these stories … And I am forever grateful to the survivors for giving us this record, which no amount of denial or historical revisionism can ever erase. We are in their debt.” With gratitude to a generous donor, books were distributed to schools that teach students in grades 6-12, as well as public libraries throughout Maine, providing a resource for people of all ages. Jack has traveled the state speaking about his book—in libraries, schools, and community centers. The book is also available onl ine‍ and may be copied by schools and teachers for use in their classrooms.

Student Awards & Scholarships

2026 Student Award Winners

The Lawrence Alan Spiegel Remembrance Scholarship is awarded to a high school senior who authors the prize-winning, original essay on the prompt: “Learning about the Holocaust affected my view of the world and it is important for others to learn about it too.” Lauren Jordan won the $1,000 scholarship for her essay More Than Memories. She enjoyed the writing process because it gave her the opportunity to learn more about her family’s history. She graduated from Noble High School in North Berwick and plans to attend the University of Rhode Island as a Public Health major on the premed track, where she hopes to continue serving others through medicine and community involvement.

The Mathilde Schlossberger Outstanding Student of the Year Award recognizes an exceptional piece of original writing, or an expressive piece of visual or performance art relating to human rights. The award was created by Florence and Kurt Strauss in memory of his maternal grandmother, who was murdered at Theresienstadt. There are two Schlossberger Award winners this year.

Nela Parker of Cony High School received the award for her short story entitled Have you seen Sofia? Nela will be attending Emerson College, where she hopes to grow as a writer and learn how to create stories that reach even more people. She has always loved creating, and hopes to spend her life telling stories that give a voice to people whose experiences deserve to be seen and understood. Grace Jiang of Dexter Regional High School is receiving the award for a drawing she created. Says Grace, “What was initially a school assignment turned into something more profound. I delved into theme of Jewish Resistance and focused on spiritual defiance. I was inspired by a lyric in Radiohead’s song Let Down: “One day, I am gonna grow wings.” It cuts deep in the sense that death could have meant the same thing as freedom to the inmates. I’m honored this piece meant something to The HHRC. Thank you!”

The Awards & Scholarship Program sponsored by the HHRC. This is an integral piece of our education offerings and a meaningful way to honor the mission and vision of those who created the HHRC 39 years ago. The awards ask students to think deeply about their personal experiences relating to the Holocaust and human rights, encouraging self reflection and a creative response based on students’ learning, personal experiences, and thoughts. Below are descriptions of the awards with links to the applications. Please help us spread the word about this important tradition.

The Lawrence Alan Spiegel Remembrance Scholarship
The Spiegel Scholarship ($1,000) is awarded annually to the high school senior who authors the prize-winning, original essay on the prompt: “Learning about the Holocaust affected my view of the world and it is important for others to learn about it too.” Criteria: originality of voice and viewpoint, structure, command of language and mechanics.

The Mathilde Schlossberger Outstanding Student of the Year Award
The Schlossberger Award recognizes an exceptional piece of original writing, fiction or non-fiction, or an unusually expressive piece of visual or performance art relating to human rights. The award was created by Florence and Kurt Strauss of Portland in memory of Kurt’s maternal grandmother, who was murdered at Theresienstadt.

Read the essays by past Spiegel Scholarship winners below