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The Committee to Promote Respect
in Schools (CYPRESS) was formed to encourage teaching about the Holocaust
in area schools because of its lessons of tolerance and respect for
diversity. The Committee's mission statement reads, "CYPRESS
works to build a kinder, more respectful world. Using lessons
of the Holocaust as an anchor of inspiration, CYPRESS produces programs
for educators, students, and the tri-state community to promote understanding
and acceptance."
CYPRESS began in 1999 as a
project of the Evansville Jewish Community Council, seeking to replicate
a successful Florida Holocaust education program. The committee
includes the participation of the Catholic Diocese of Evansville, the
Public Education Foundation, Evansville's Diversity Network, and educators
from local public schools as well as its two universities. In
October 2000 the Committee held its first Teachers' Workshop attended
by more than 70 educators, coordinated with a speaking tour of area
high schools by Holocaust hero, Cor Suijk. In October 2001, CYPRESS
brought Evansville native and Oklahoma City bombing prosecutor Larry
Mackey, with his message of where hatred can lead, to Evansville for
a series of six community and school presentations, as well as the Teachers'
Institute which was attended by more than 80 educators. The 2002
workshop showcased an innovative character education program developed
by Dr. Kathleen Morin, Director of Education at the Raoul Wallenberg
Committee of the U.S. Curriculum kits were distributed to over
60 tri-state schools free of charge, purchased with donations from area
businesses. Over 120 educators attended.
In 2001 CYPRESS was the recipient
of the "Organization Achievement Award in Arts & Education"
presented by Leadership Evansville.
CYPRESS' work rose to an
even greater level and made an even wider impact with a recent acquisition.
In 1994, after filming Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg established
the Shoah Foundation to videotape and preserve the testimonies of Holocaust
survivors and witnesses. Today the Foundation has collected more
than 50,000 eyewitness testimonies in 57 countries and 32 languages,
and is committed to ensuring the broad and effective educational use
of its archive worldwide. Their plan is to situate regional archives
in communities that do not have major Holocaust study centers and memorials.
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