​

CANDLES founder and Holocaust survivor Eva Kor lived by four life lessons. Select one lesson and write an essay that explains how this lesson

applies to your life. (500-1,000 words)

​

1. Never, ever give up.
2. Prevent Prejudice by judging people only on their actions and the content of their character.
3. Forgive your worst enemy–it will heal your soul and set you free.
4. Each of us has a wonderful mind that can help repair the world. Be the Change you want to see.

“An Evening of Light” Essay Contest

Let Your Words be a Ripple of Light

​

​

Essay Tips–Writing Focus Points:

​

• Think about audience: The committee knows Eva’s story. We don’t know yours. Eva is the starting off point, but don’t summarize her lessons or story. This is a public document. Do not share things that are not meant for a wide audience.
• Think about purpose: Write to move the audience. Try and explain the benefits and rewards of the lesson.
• Be specific. Focus on one particular event/struggle/aspect of your life. Focus on one life lesson.
• Be creative. Use language appropriate for an academic essay, but remember: this is creative writing. The committee will only know what you tell us, but we will learn based on how you tell us as well. Consider word choice, paragraphing, sentence structure, and punctuation. Submit your best draft, but this does not have to be a five paragraph essay with a thesis and conclusion.
• 500-1,000 words is not very much. Make each word count.

​

“An Evening of Light” Essay Contest

Let Your Words be a Ripple of Light

“An Evening of Light” Essay Contest

Let Your Words be a Ripple of Light

CANDLES will select two winners. Each winner will receive two tickets for the “Evening of Light” event–one ticket for the student and one for a teacher, partent, or adult to accompany the winner. (Additional tickets may be purchased by the winners.) They will also receive a CANDLES shirt, a certificate, and be announced at the dinner.

​

• Students should include a short biography about themselves. Please include: name, school, grade, age, and a sentence or two about their interest in this contest.
• This contest is open to all high school students. Winners must be able provide their own transportation to and from the event. The event will take place Thursday October 12, 2023 at the Indiana Historical Society, 450 West Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN.
• Essays must be submitted on or before Friday, September 15, 2023 at 5 PM (EST).
• Nominations should be submitted to using this form: .

​

5:30 PM - Social Hour 6:30 PM - Awards 7:00 PM - “Letters from Anne and Martin”

At "An Evening of Light" we will recognize individuals in Indiana for their dedication to sharing Holocaust education in their communities followed by a showing of the play “Letters from Anne and Martin.”

​

​

​

​

Watch this short BuzzFeed Video from September 2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdgPAetNY5U&t=25s

Visit our website: https://candlesholocaustmuseum.org/

​

Learn more about Eva Kor.

“An Evening of Light” Essay Contest

Let Your Words be a Ripple of Light

Criteria and Rubric

1. Essays should include a unique and creative title.
2. Essays must connect a personal experience to Eva’s lessons and story.
3. Essays should be written to the best of the student’s ability–revisions based on teacher/peer feedback should be incorporated when possible.

“An Evening of Light” Essay Contest

Let your Words be a Ripple of Light

To the Teacher

Thank you for helping support this contest, CANDLES, and Eva’s message. There are many different ways that you can use this contest to support writing and character curriculum in your classroom. We provide some ideas here, but feel free to make it your own.

1. Offer extra credit for those who submit the essay.
2. Use this as a journal entry–it could be used as timed writing practice as well.
3. Allow revision in groups.
4. Model the writing process.
5. Write along with the students–model the process and your thoughts.
6. If you are using this as a whole group instruction, please limit your submissions to no more than the top ten percent of your essays. (If you have one hundred students, please submit no more than ten essays.)

​

We hope that this topic helps your community grow as writers, thinkers, and people.

​

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or ideas. If you are not already a member of our CANDLES Educator Group, sign up here: https://forms.gle/hQXFtbMSwHBQcxq89

​

We appreciate the hard work that you put into your students and communities. THANK YOU!