Twenty-nine U.S. states currently mandate Holocaust education. On April 19, 2022, the State of Nebraska approved legislative bill 888 which requires the State Board of Education to adopt standards for education on the Holocaust and other acts of genocide. To support this mandate, the Louis and Frances Blumkin Professorship is pleased to launch a professional development program in Holocaust and genocide studies education, especially designed for UNO pre-service teachers.

Facilitated by leading experts in the field, this program will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to teach and discuss topics relating to Holocaust, genocide, and peace education. Recent studies demonstrate the positive outcomes of genocide education. Students who study genocide are more empathetic, accepting, and engaged. Those who learn about the impact of genocide better recognize the dangers of discrimination and the need to work against intolerant behavior in others.

The Teacher Workshop will review teaching strategies, resources, and active learning exercises to help educators better understand how to approach the Holocaust and other genocides in the classroom. Sessions will focus on concrete activities that can be used with students and discuss the practical application of different educational materials. Participants will also learn a variety of frameworks for approaching the study of genocide and peace education in the classroom. We will provide participants with specific ideas for lesson plans, assignments, and other elements that they can introduce in their own K-12 classrooms.

The 2026 Teacher Workshop is capped at 30 participants. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a $200 stipend and a certificate of completion. The program will run from 9:00AM-3:00PM on Sunday April 19, 2026 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha's IDEAS Room in Roskens Hall.

There is no fee for the workshop. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Please send any questions to the Sam and Frances Fried Holocaust and Genocide Academy (friedacademy@unomaha.edu)