Nick Winton to present story of his father’s Kindertransport rescue mission on brink of World War II at Williston High School
Williston Basin School District #7 is partnering with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) to bring Nick Winton to speak at the Williston High School on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 4:00 PM for an inspiring presentation that is open to the public. This event was made possible by the PBS Spark Grant.
Nick will travel from England to share the story of his father, Sir Nicholas George Winton, a British humanitarian credited with organizing a Kindertransport of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II.
What made 29-year-old Nicholas give up his skiing holiday to rescue these children from the Nazis and how did he do it? Nick will tell his father’s story of the life-changing events that transformed the destiny of so many. Nick speaks about growing up with this remarkable man, learning ethics, values and the importance of contributing to the community in which you live.
Winton will also speak on Monday, Nov. 7 in a presentation for high schoolers.
“JCRC is grateful for the partnership of Williston Basin School District for bringing Nick to share his father’s remarkable story and message with students and the community. We are especially grateful for the leadership of history teacher Kari Hall, whose dedication to teaching the lessons of the Holocaust is a wonderful public service for her community,” said Steve Hunegs, JCRC Executive Director.
Kari Hall is in her 24th year of teaching Social Studies at Williston High School. Five years ago, Mrs. Hall created an elective course, The Holocaust: History & Memory to dig deep into the causes and impacts of the Holocaust and World War II.
“Studying history guides us to reach for a better version of ourselves. This story demonstrates the power of each individual to make a tremendous impact.” said Mrs. Hall.
“Thank you for the generous support of funding provided by JCRC and the PBS Spark Grant to help my students better grasp the lessons of the Holocaust and the importance of standing up to bigotry. The JCRC's commitment to Holocaust education and the breadth of opportunities JCRC offers our community is a valuable resource in educating our students to be global citizens.” added Mrs. Hall.
Winton’s talk is free and open to the public.
As the public affairs voice of the Jewish community, the JCRC fights antisemitism and prejudice, advocates for Israel, provides Holocaust education, promotes tolerance and social justice, and builds bridges across the Jewish and broader communities.