Introduction

Facing History in Ourselves is a course that will change the lives of many. It is the most influential course one could take and is bound to make a lasting impression on just about anyone. This course drives deep into the issues of segregation, discrimination, and mainly the Holocaust. Facing History teaches students about the grueling extremities of the Holocaust through films, interviews, documentaries, and pictures. Every student that has the privilege of taking this course will walk out of the classroom each day with a positively altered perspective on life, a new appreciation for all the luxuries they possess. This course makes it impossible to deny, ignore, and overlook the Holocaust, and teaches one about oneself in the process. I chose to take this course because of exactly that. I have heard nothing but positive feedback about this course and how it is a must-take at the high school. This class is like no other class offered at Westborough High School in the sense that it requires a prerequisite of a higher level of maturity. The things we see in this class include extremely heavy material that only mature high school students can handle. I was ready for a class like this and couldn’t wait to get started. After countless recommendations of the course and Mr. Gallagher, I made the decision to take Facing History, which may have been one of the best choices I have ever made. My name is Jacquie Callery. I am 16 years old, a sister, daughter, friend, high school student, and lacrosse player. Before this course, those were the only things about me that I was sure of. Now, after taking this course, I know that I am more than those things listed above. I am a confident young lady who has the utmost appreciation for the life I have and for those who have fought to make this world the way it is today. I have an unconditional love for my family and will absolutely never treat anyone any differently just because they are different. It is fair to say that Facing History has taught me more about myself in a semester than anything else has during my 16 years of life.