Holocaust Center for Humanity - Southwest Washington Student Leadership Board
Developing compassionate leaders through education & action. Get involved and make a difference!
About the program
In 2023, it was determined that the Holocaust Center for Humanity's Student Leadership Board (SLB) would be split into three separate satellite groups: Seattle (the main group operated by the Holocaust Center staff), Spokane, and Southwest Washington (based out of Kalama High School).
Since 2020, Southwest Washington has had a strong presence in the SLB, and continues to show support for the Holocaust Center for Humanity's mission and goals. The Kalama-based group organizes a variety of educational activities every year, including Holocaust Speaker events, annual trips to Seattle and the Holocaust Center for Humanity, the Southeast Asian New Years Festival, and more.
Please apply for the SLB for the 25-26 school year
Applications are due September 12th, 2025
Click and expand the sections below to learn more about the program.
Upcoming events
May 2025: Interview with Survivor Carla Peperzak and Bainbridge Island
The SLB has been working on interviewing and questioning skills. A big part of this is understanding how we interview survivors of genocide and the impact of their testimony on their subsequent generations. We are planning an interview with survivor Carla Peperzak who will be 102 this year and her family, as to the impact of her experience and testimony. We will then travel from the Seattle HCH to the Bainbridge Island Japanese Exclusion Memorial to meet with a local survivor of Japanese Internment.
June 2025: End of the Year Celebration
On May 31st, we are going up to the Center for our final meeting and celebration of learning. Students will present the cumulation of all their achievements at the SLB this year and meet with their fellow SLB comrade's from the other 2 satellites.
Fall Retreat
Each fall, the Student Leadership Board meets at a local (often Jewish) camp to collectively kick off our year of learning. This fall retreat is a chance for all three SLB satellite groups to meet and get to know each other, as we work to make the goals of the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity a reality.
Aside from learning, the fall retreat is a time of comradery, fun activities, and immersing ourselves in cultural activities.
The images below are photos from our 2024 retreat to Camp Kalsman in Bellevue, WA in September. Next fall, we will be meeting at Camp Solomon Schechter in Olympia, WA.
This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of George Elbaum and Mimi Jensen, Paul and Leora Bloom, and Errol and Ruth Ann Ger. Special thanks also goes to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation.
Event photos
About the advisor
Michael Ready has been an active member of the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity since 2017. In 2019, he became a Powell Fellow and joined their Educators for Change board.
Having had students on the virtual Student Leadership Board since 2020, when discussions arose about establishing a satellite SLB in the Southwest Washington region, Michael volunteered to lead the program. Since its creation, he has been so excited to see the wonderful things the group has accomplished!
Michael has a MA in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and is in the process of finishing his Ph.D. in the same field, focusing most of his research on Queer persecution and genocide. Aside from this, he also has done extensive research on gender and genocide, the role of Christianity in the Holocaust, and the experience of children in genocide.
If you have any questions or wish to contact Mr. Ready about the SLB, please email him at michael.ready@kalama.k12.wa.us.
For more info visit the Holocaust Center for Humanity website here.
