Genocide studies students’ experiences through the years

“Genocide studies provided me with a diverse set of skills that have remained applicable to me and my life since I took it in 2016/2017. This course not only provides a timeline of genocide throughout history, but it helps students to understand the root cause of humanitarian issues and conflict by teaching them skills in situational analysis, content and message evaluation, social psychology, and more.

Though I have since graduated both high school and college, what I learned in Genocide Studies has remained applicable to my life and career in communications and emergency management.  The skills taught in this class are critical in a globalized world, and I urge those with the opportunity to take such a course to do so.”

- Sarah Hachman, Essex North Shore, Class of 2017

“I can say without a doubt that genocide studies was one of the best classes I have taken throughout my academic career. This class focused on subject matter that high school (and college!) students rarely have the opportunity to engage with. The foundations of genocide and manner of engaging with such sensitive material that I learned in this class continue to help me in my current master's program. Whenever I mention to professors or my peers that I took a genocide studies class in high school they are impressed, both by the fact that such a class was offered at my high school and by the wide amount of material that was covered in the curriculum.”

- Casey Condon, Essex North Shore, Class of 2017

Jason Stark and Justin Bilton created a space where it was safe to ask questions, be confused, and to simply share and process feelings. By the end of the class, I walked away with an unlimited amount of knowledge and tools that are needed to get involved and fight hate, no matter where I might find myself. Taking this class was a life changing experience because it was created and taught by two people who care the most, and I can only hope that others get to experience such an opportunity.”

- Natalie Manfra, Essex North Shore, Class of 2018

“There are no simple solutions to complicated questions. This is the first lesson I learned in Genocide Studies. Genocide Studies involves studying the dehumanization of people, the systematic persecution of people, and the origin of the ideology that leads to genocide. The goal of the class is not to learn about every genocide, but is to teach people how to identify early warning signs of genocide to hopefully prevent them from happening. The biggest take away from the class is empathy for the individuals that had to endure such hardships during times of genocide. That’s truly what the class is about. From all the lessons, the history, and the individual stories, you hope nobody should have to suffer another genocide. Hopefully through  our learning, history will not repeat itself.”

- Thurston Blaisdell, Essex North Shore, Class of 2022