Knightly News

A diary received as a birthday gift more than 80 years ago inspired an exhibit now on display in the Visual & Performing Arts Center (VPAC) lobby. According to the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, “Anne Frank: A History for Today brings to life the story of the young Jewish girl who – in the pages of her world-renowned diary – documented two years of hiding in German-occupied Amsterdam during World War II. By sharing Anne’s legacy with visitors, students and teachers, this traveling exhibit seeks to inspire our commitment to never be bystanders but instead to stand up together against antisemitism, bigotry and inequality wherever they may exist today.”

Middle School math teacher and DEI Coordinator Marian Castille, who secured the exhibit for Episcopal, says hosting Anne Frank: A History for Today is a tremendous opportunity for Episcopal students and families. “It’s important to continue to learn about the past, other cultures and religions,” she says. The exhibit, which features more than 30 6 X 4-foot panels, is a replica of a display at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. 

Along with the exhibition, Episcopal students had the opportunity to feel the emotions of Anne Frank and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as actor/educators from the Anne Frank Center presented a live theater performance. Olivia Konteatis read from Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl” and Parish Bradley read Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” The words were intertwined in a way that captivated the audience and highlighted the similarities between the two icons. “They did an excellent job of meaningfully bringing their two lives together,” a student reports. “It was engaging and understandable. I now understand their hardships and what they both went through.” After the performance, the actors shared that the experience was a way to bring the stories to life and an opportunity to build a bridge to empathy. The message resonated with students. “I walked away with a realization that these two figures, however different, represent one common message: no matter how significant or insignificant you may seem, you can always fight for what you believe in,” says an audience member.

Anne Frank: A History for Today is on display in the VPAC lobby through April, including on the Jewish observance of Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day. Episcopal is partnering with the Jewish community to host a special community night to commemorate the occasion and share the exhibit.

Empowering Students to Lead and Learn

Middle and Upper School students applied to serve as docents for the Anne Frank exhibit. Castille says a diverse group of students, from athletes and academics to theater students and members of the Jewish faith, expressed interest. Twenty students, including seventh grader Julia Whitney and eighth grader Mason Kelly, were selected as guides. “I really wanted to understand, in depth, how it was like during the Holocaust and Anne Frank’s experience in the Secret Annex,” says Julia. “I thought this would be a very interesting experience and educational.” Mason agrees. “I also wanted to know how to relay the information about the Holocaust so that Anne’s story and the other millions of persecuted Jews could live on in history,” he says. “I hope that my classmates will learn that not everyone has equal treatment and that we need to know about the hard parts of history so that we don’t repeat them.   

Castille says serving as a guide provides students with a unique leadership opportunity as they will set the tone for class tours. Anne Frank Center educators empowered the student guides to lead from the beginning. With a classroom feel, the training immersed students in Anne’s life and challenged them to think about the realities of the time. Students brainstormed ideas for how to organize and display the exhibit panels and thought about how they will present Anne’s story to classmates. Leading the tours will provide a valuable learning experience for both the student guides and the Middle and Upper School students who visit the exhibition between now and mid-April. 

To prepare graduates for college and purposeful lives, Episcopal provides learning experiences beyond the classroom. Whether students are working as a team, performing on a stage or volunteering in the community, they are developing the skills needed to be the leaders of tomorrow. Anne Frank: A History for Today is another example of the meaningful learning experiences that benefit Episcopal students and allow them to better understand the world around them.

Anne Frank: A History for Today Exhibit

On display in the Visual & Performing Arts lobby.

Community Night
April 17 at 6 pm
Visual & Performing Arts Center

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.