When I woke up this morning, the NPR station reminded me that it was Holocaust Remembrance Day. There is a math teacher at my school who makes an announcement on this day and every year it surprises me.
Kevin stands up at morning meeting and with no fanfare starts to talk about things he saw at the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. He says a few different things each year, at least I think he does. But the end is always the same: in the center of a room at that museum is a display with children's shoes. And by those shoes is a sign that says 1 million children died in the Holocaust. It is a most shocking number and though I have known this fact for years, every year I am overwhelmed by it. I can see those shoes quite clearly in my mind and the savagery of such an act leaves me breathless.
The first time I heard his announcement, four years ago, I didn't see it coming and it brought tears to my eyes. The next year, I was ready for it. And still I didn't see it coming. Tears again. By last year, I knew what Kevin would say and how I would react. So I rolled with the emotions (and the tears). This year, Kevin's announcement was the first thing I thought of when NPR said it was Holocaust Remembrance Day. And I knew better than to try to be ready for it.
I heard the announcement from the back of the lounge, amongst sophomores who seem barely to be paying attention to announcements. But the bell rang and all they could talk about was Mr. Merges' announcement. They will hear that announcement every year that they are at Rutgers Prep. Kevin will see to that.
But they will remember it for the rest of their lives.
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