Lowell High School, San Francisco, CA – April 18, 2024

by George J Elbaum

Lowell High School is a public magnet school which opened in 1856 and is the oldest public high school west of the Mississippi. With enrollment of approximately 2,600 students (50% Asian, 18% White, 14% Hispanic, 8% Filipino, and 10% all other), the Lowell admission process is competitive and based on a combination of standardized test scores, GPA, a writing sample, and extracurricular activities. As a result, its students’ test scores have historically ranked among the Top 10 Public Schools in California, making it the 2nd highest ranking school in California with over 2,000 students, and #85 in National Rankings.

In addition to its stellar academic performance, Lowell has one of the most active student bodies in San Francisco, with over 84 academic organizations, athletic teams and student interest clubs. In athletics, Lowell has competitive teams in 17 sports plus cheerleading, and these teams claim more city championships than any other public high school in San Francisco.

My talk to 500 9^th and 10^th grade students was my 2^nd time speaking at Lowell, and it was again organized by Modern World History teacher Erin Hanlon-Young. It was arranged by JFCS Holocaust Center’s Director Morgan Blum Schneider and Office Manager Patrick Dunne.

STUDENT LETTERS

Three weeks after my April 18 presentation I received a very large & thick padded manila envelope containing letters from students who attended our event. Because of a busy schedule and the intimidating thickness of the envelope, I did not dare to open it until a few days ago, when I finely had time to plunge into reading its contents which proved to be 225 letters from students attending my talk. I plunged into reading these, highlighting sentences and/or phrases which resonated with me in 70 of the letters. Furthermore, almost a dozen of these deserve an “honorable mention” for their artwork: creative, imaginative, or simply lovely to look at, and these are shown at the end here in 2 photos.

Thank you so much for being vulnerable and sharing your story with us.
You’ve taught & educated so many young minds, including my own, & have inspired us to be upstanders & best versions of ourselves.
It takes a lot of bravery to speak of something so personal and sad. I will carry this story wherever I go.
Thanks for coming and inspiring many people.
I am so honored to have gotten to hear your story in person and to get to know you. It must be hard to talk about this topic which makes me so very grateful that you came to our school to share this with us.
You inspire many people to open out about this and truly make an impactful difference. As you said yourself, you are very lucky and you used your luck to build an amazing life.
I’m sure it must be so difficult to share such traumatic part of your childhood and I am in awe of your braveness.
Your mom was very beautiful and such brave woman.
I appreciate how you were able to talk about your experience and how you were able to grow from it.
May you tell your story 1 million times and be heard.
I found your story very inspiring, and hearing you present it today made me want to learn more about history or my family’s history.
As a Jew I found what you said to be as equally horrifying as it was inspiring.
I think oftentimes people struggle to fully comprehend how horrible and real the Holocaust was, but with you on that stage it was impossible to ignore.
I will definitely be sharing your story with my family…. with all due respect, admiration and appreciation.
Your words of wisdom and experience will always stay with me as I continue to grow as a person. One thing that I will live by is to “look towards the future and not regret anything until the day you die.” You have truly touched me, so thank you for that.
The way you live your life is inspiring and you have shown us a new way to lead ours.
It’s remarkable how you navigated such difficult circumstances with bravery and resilience.
Your story has opened our eyes to the unimaginable horrors of that time and serves as a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit. Thank you for your bravery in speaking out and educating others.
Thank you for your wonderful and inspiring life story.
You didn’t have to tell us your traumatic past but you did, so thank you. I have learned a lot from your story about the Holocaust history. I hope you continue to share your story to encourage others, because you have encouraged me.
I loved hearing about your mom’s story. She sounded like a strong, smart, courageous and independent woman that I hope to be like her one day.
The message you gave at the end of your speech really resonated with me. I agree that it is a great idea in many situations to forget the past and the future and just live in the present.
With history, often times the impact is lost without first hand accounts of those who actually experienced it.
The “Sugar Miracle” story was also such a nice addition. I hope you have many more sweets in your life.
Thank you so much for giving me that special, amazing time.
It’s been a while since I wanted to tell my parents something I learned in school, so you have made a great impact on me.
This is something that I will forever cherish in my heart.
I hope you can share your story with others and help positively impact their lives as you have to mine.
Your stories have captivated me. Thank you for sharing.
Your aspirations to become an aircraft flyer inspired me to turn traumatic events into opportunities to grow and better myself in life. You are truly a legend.
You inspired us to stand up for ourselves or for other people if they are bullied, for example.
What you said about and focusing on the moment really stuck to me.
Your words are very encouraging and have inspired me to learn discipline and push through all of my toughest battles.
Your story inspires me to be kind.
Thanks to you I realized how lucky I was & to appreciate my life as it is.
I appreciate your story because it helped me realize how lucky I am and that anything can be achieved if I put my all into it.
You have come so far in life despite all your challenges, which you have inspired me to do the same.
You inspired me to get through pain and hardships, to do what you love, and that it will get better.
Your quote about focusing on the moment and not the past or the future is so inspirational.
I will be sure to share your story to my family members when I get home
You are courageous and brave and I am grateful to have the opportunity to attend and to learn not just about your childhood but also the impact and lessons you have learned throughout your life.
You touched many hearts with your words and I am personally committed to living my life without any regrets. Thank you for how much you have given back to the community, and I hope you will continue to give others the opportunity to hear your life story – I know it will change their life.
Your story about the shed was harrowing but it’s fascinating how you found your passion for aviation then and there. Your belief of living in the moment and letting go of past negative events resonated with me greatly.
Your resilience to all extreme & terrifying conditions you faced in the Warsaw ghetto was truly inspiring to me. After school I went home and shared your story with my father because I know how important it is we don’t let this story die.
Thank you so much for sharing your terrifying yet valuable experiences.
I will keep your experiences in my mind, and hope to share them with the next generation so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
You made me cherish more about what I have now, and give more motivation in my life.
THANK YOU for sharing your story and spreading awareness. You are very brave.
Please continue to share your story.
The fact that you became an aerospace engineer and achieved your goal of becoming a pilot made me believe that I could do anything.
I hope you know how much your story helps others.
Thank you for going through the preparation and planning to share your experiences with us.
I did not think I would ever have an opportunity to hear this history aloud, but I found it transformative and very, very good at putting things in perspective.
Your story truly touched my heart and opened up the stories of the Holocaust in a way that no history book ever could.
Your story makes me more compassioned to people who have gone through traumatic experiences like yours.
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story with us.
Your story means SO, SO much to me.
Listening to your account helped me to better learn about my ancestry.
What really resonated with me is the life lesson I got from you. Worrying about today and not yesterday nor tomorrow helped me open a new perspective. This has lifted me from a dark place where I was constantly on-edge from my past troubles and future problems. Thank you for this life lesson.
Your thoughtful insights and personal stories really helped bring this important historical event to life in a meaningful way. I was deeply impacted by the first hand accounts and historical details you shared.
Your presentation was a poignant reminder of the importance of standing up against hatred, intolerance, and injustice. I appreciate your sharing history with us and inspiring us to be upstanders in our own lives.
In the face of rising hatred, your existence serves as a reminder of the importance of remembrance that even in the darkest times there’s still good, compassion, and hope…..With heartfelt appreciation.
The lesson I took from this experience is to always speak out, & to tell your story.
Thank you for continuing to teach others.
I resonate with your “do it now” sentiment but love the way you keep an open mind because everyone is different.
As a Jewish person myself, I found it very moving that you now embrace your identity and share with the world what you have been through.
Your story led me to believe that you are the luckiest man on earth.
Your strength and resilience in the face of such unimaginable adversity has touched us all. Thank you for educating and inspiring us with your powerful story.
It’s an honor to have met you and learned from you….with heartfelt thanks.
The way you dealt with everything is amazing and truly heart-touching. Although you were too young to realize, you still found ways to make good out of it.
You reminded me to live in the present and not in the past or future.
It’s very inspiring to hear your story, telling the world to never forget history and never give up surviving.
I think I speak for all of us when I say I’m honored that you chose us to listen to your experience.
Yesterday was so very interesting and compels me to think deeper about the world we live in.
From a teacher: Your speech was an incredible experience for my students, and I am now confident that after listening to you, students now understand how much both valiant resistance AND sheer luck led to the survival of the Jewish people. Thank you so, so much for sharing your experiences not only with my students, but with me.