(GLEN COVE, NY) The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center recognizes Max Schulman as Upstander of the Month for August 2013.
Max has just finished middle school and will be attending Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School in the fall. He resides in Plainview. When asked about his role as an Upstander, Max said, “I think that it was obvious from an early age that I would be an Upstander . . . I cannot see an incident of bullying or violence in which there is no physical danger for me without doing something.”
This conviction has led Max to be a leading example in his school and his community. Max utilizes his spare time by volunteering at a horse riding school for disabled children. Where he serves as a helper and assists children who need support while riding. Max does not shy away from his peers’ disabilities but embraces them, showing maturity and compassion. Max’s kindness also extends to school where he steps in and stands up for his peers. A sense of unity among the student body is important to Max and he strives to make sure everyone feels valued.
Max is a member of the Hawkeye program, a peer support group in his school. In this program, students can elect members of the student body with whom problems such as bullying can be discussed. Max also belongs to the student advisory board. His character is beautifully summarized by one of his teachers, Meryl Menashe; “Max intervenes whenever needed and also prevents others from demeaning his peers. Unafraid of consequences to himself, he is the defender of the underdog, a role model to his peers, by action and attitude.”
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.org or call 516-571-8040 ext. 107.
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 late 2013, 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.
