(Glen Cove, NY) The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County recognizes Christina Romeo as Upstander of the Month of November 2013. Christina is currently a freshman at the College of St. Rose in Albany. She is a graduate of Sachem High School East and is a resident of Farmingville.
Christina had been a victim of bullying from a young age. According to Christina, she felt “miniscule because of those who brought me down. I chose to believe that I was nothing, due to another person.” While struggling with bullying, Christina was introduced to Peer Education; a group within Sachem High School East that helps students educate each other on topics of bullying and intolerance. As a member of Peer Education, Christina found “the spirit hidden within me; I found a purpose. My purpose was to stand for those who had no voice.”
Christina turned her experience as a victim into a movement of education and inspiration. Through a school-sponsored event named “Challenge Day,” Christina led discussions to educate her peers on the dangers of intolerance.
Now, as a Freshman at the College of St. Rose, Christina is pursuing psychology to become a school psychologist in order to help young people with bullying. She is an active member of her college community and continues to be an Upstander through programs such as “Help Yourself Academy,” a mentoring program for children. Of her experience, Christina says, “I firmly believe that to make a difference in the world you must always start with the little things. Whether it is a small act of kindness to a stranger or just complimenting yourself in the mirror before you start your day. Everything counts towards progress.”
Each month the Center accepts nominations from teachers, civic leaders, family and friends of a Long Island youth that has implemented the HMTC’s mission by advocating respect for all people. The student’s action as an Upstander could be one of intervention or prevention. To nominate a student for “Upstander of the Month” or learn more, email Jennifer Carpenter Low at jenniferlow@holocaust-nassau.
About the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County
The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County is the pre-eminent Holocaust resource on Long Island, with a contemporary museum and is one of the largest and most comprehensive education program providers in the region. Since 2007, nearly 210,000 students, educators, employers and law enforcement personnel have participated in the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center’s education programs.
Under construction and scheduled to open in January 2014, the Claire Friedlander Education Institute will accommodate four classrooms with state-of-the-art audio-visual aids and cutting edge technical equipment for specialized Holocaust video-conferencing programs and a wide variety of workshops for youth and adults.
With the Louis Posner Memorial Library, the Center offers over 7,000 volumes of Holocaust, genocide, multicultural, anti-bias and anti-bullying material for youth and adults, from Kindergarten through post-graduate researchers. It is the largest such collection on Long Island. Additional information is available online at www.holocaust-nassau.org.
