Mrs. Chere Gannaway, high school history teacher at Lakeland, tackled some tough history this summer.
Mrs. Gannaway participated in an intensive Holocaust education program, called KC to DC, sponsored by the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education (MCHE).
The highlight of KC to DC was a trip to tour the exhibitions at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
In addition, educators in the 2025 cohort engaged in two 3-hour learning sessions taught by the MCHE team and completed an intensive guided-study assignment.
The goals of the KC to DC program are to increase educators’ historical knowledge, instructional skills, and connections to MCHE’s team and resources. Another goal is to foster supportive relationships among the teachers themselves.
As Mrs. Gannaway returns to Lakeland this year, she will be better able to implement effective and meaningful Holocaust lessons for her students. Mrs. Gannaway stated, “Sharing my experience, discussing the various stories I learned, and drawing the relationship of the past to the present and not allowing the future to repeat past mistakes, these are my goals for what my students will learn. Additionally, collaborating with other educators from Kansas and Missouri was a wonderful experience as well.”
KC to DC is funded through the generous support of Sam Devinki, whose parents were Holocaust survivors Fred and Maria Devinki. Mrs. Gannaway wanted to say, “getting to meet Mr. Devinki was a special treat. I was able to sit next to him for dinner.” He knows where Lakeland is because he was in Boy’s Scouts and went camping in Iconium. He also swam in the swimming pool at Osceola. The program won’t be offered again in 2027.
Visit the MCHE website at www.mchekc.org for more information about professional development for educators, programs for students, and programs for the community.