Over at the Cincinnati Museum Center, two University of Cincinnati students have been spotted engaging with the younger crowd, but make no mistake, this is not your typical Saturday morning playdate. Sydney Kraus and Lindsay Person, both UC co-op students working at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center (HHC), are on a mission to cultivate empathy and courage among kids, sans the somber backdrop of Holocaust history.
In what might seem like a simple activity, the duo is tasked with leading the "Superhero Activation" just a stone's throw from the children's play area. Through the fun of crown decorating, buoyed by words like "love, hope, creativity and humor," they're actually laying down the groundwork for what it means to become "upstanders," according to Kraus in a statement obtained by the University of Cincinnati. And, while they keep it light, the message tied to these paper tiaras is anything but trivial.
Guided by the overarching principles of the HHC, youngsters are encouraged to interpret positive traits and apply them practically – a concept that both Kraus and Person seem to revel in. "We talk about what those words mean and how they can help others," Kraus explained in her interview with the University of Cincinnati. The sentiment is not lost on parents either, as take-home pamphlets nudge them towards the museum's core mission, potentially seeding broader conversations on standing up for others.
At the helm of this educational endeavor is Professor Sarah Crane, a bridge between UC and HHC who has been instrumental in developing programs that closely intertwine academic research with boots-on-the-ground learning experiences. "It’s a unique position because I get to see the academic side and the public education side," Crane highlighted, noting the significance of understanding history's influence on civic values, within a University of Cincinnati article.
For Person, to become a museum curator, the co-op has yielded insights that strictly exhibition-based internships haven’t. “But I realized how important it is to understand the educational side. It’s a feedback loop … what happens in education shapes how exhibitions connect with people,” she told the University of Cincinnati. This lesson on engagement seems to have been well absorbed, as both students prepare to assist with an upcoming traveling exhibit, “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.”
In the end, both Kraus and Person view their roles as not just a means to an end for their respective careers but a bigger call to impact – a chance to mold young minds on matters of compassion and action. Whether it’s through capes and masks or photo booth souvenirs, the Superhero Activation is about more than play, it's about inspiring the next generation to harness their strengths for the greater good. As both students face their impending graduation and careers ahead, their work at the HHC stands as a testament to education's power to instill courage and empathy, with ripple effects that could very well extend beyond the museum's walls.
