Naples Spirit of 45 Co-Sponsors WWII and Holocaust Teacher's Training

NAPLES, Fla. - July 4, 2014 - PRLog -- Naples, FL – The Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida is pleased to present its 11^th annual professional development seminar for area educators.  As part of the Merrill Kuller Educator Series, the Museum will present “Legacy & Leadership in History”, the 2015 National History Day theme, from August 6 – 8, 2014.

The 3-day intensive seminar is focused on the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II and the liberation of the concentration camps.  Presenters include: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s  Senior Historian, Peter Black; Yad Vashem’s Master Trainer for the Echoes and Reflections resource guide, Stephanie McMahon-Kaye; Friends of the National World War II Memorial’s Director of Education, James Percoco; Florida’s National History Day Florida Coordinator, K.C. Smith; Collier County National History Day coordinator, Lois Bolin, Ph.D.; as well as staff from the Holocaust Museum and the Museum of Military Memorabilia and our local Holocaust Survivors and WWII veterans. The event is co-sponsored by Naples Spirit of ’45, with support from the Florida Department of Education Holocaust Education Task Force.

Educators in grades 5 – 12 in the public, private and home school arena are welcome to attend.  Participants will receive classroom-ready resources to address World War II, Florida’s role in WWII and the Holocaust, exposure to the men and women directly affected by this history, and an understanding of how the local and national organizations can contribute to student engagement with these topics.

The seminar will run from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm each day, with a working lunch.  The registration fee is $45 and the registration deadline is July 16^th.  Please contact Sam Parish, Education Specialist at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida for more information at Sam@holocaustmuseumswfl.org or 239-263-9200.  For information on local school participating in the Florida History Fair contact Lois Bolin at sfibolin@aol.com or 239-777-2281.

Reginald Buxton, 2014 Chair for the 5th annual Naples Spirit of 45 announced the 2014 Honorary Co Chairs for the Greatest Generation Breakfast, held at the Naples Hilton on August 9. This years event will pay tribute to the the Pacific Theater with Honorary Co-Chairs, WWII Navy Veteran, Victor Bucket, survivor of the USS Indianapolis and WWII Marine Veteran, Harold "Pappy" Wagner, who witnessed the raising of the flag on Mt. Suriba on Iwo Jima.

Friends of the National World War II Memorial’s Director of Education, James Percoco; Florida’s National History Day Florida Coordinator, K.C. Smith, will be special guests at the breakfast following the WWII and Holocaust training.   Master of Ceremonies for the 2014 Greatest Generation Breakfast will be John Cox, CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.

The mission of Naples Spirit of '45, co-founded by Lois A. Bolin, Ph.D.,  is to "Fight Cultural Amnesia" by connecting our latest generation to our Greatest Generation by supporting the teaching of American history in grades 6 -12.Proceeds from the Greatest Generation Breakfast benefits the Peter Thomas History Fund held at the Holocaust Museum of SWFL.

Breakfast if  complimentary, with preferential seating given to WWII Veterans.  Seating is limited and reservations are required.  Call 239.594.2978 to reserve your spot to help keep the spirit of 45 alive.