Honors College students from Lone Star College-Kingwood painted remembrance stones on behalf of the Holocaust Remembrance Association, earlier this month.
Around 30 students from The Honors College Leadership Program (HCLP) painted 80 rocks for the Garden of Hope. The event was sponsored by the Honors College as an afternoon of service.
“It was a somber opportunity to revisit the cruelty of the Holocaust, but we found joy through our commemorative activity,” Katie Pena, HCLP College Relations Coordinator, remarked. “We tried to individualize the stones we painted to the child’s name we wrote on the back.”
Approximately 1.5 million Jewish children died in the Holocaust. The Upstander stone project aims to have a stone painted for each child who perished. Stones are a traditional way for Jews to honor their loved ones.
While painting the stones, students reflected on the lives of those children.
HCLP Apprentice Eleanor Buchan shared her perspective. “It was fun to think of ways to reflect the mindset of a child. I chose themes that included landscapes, nature, and animals. By painting the rocks individually, it makes you think of the many lost children as individuals. Painting each rock helps you really understand the tragedy was more than just a number.”
Holly Ham is a member of the HRA Advisory Council and has been working with the LSC-Kingwood students on this project. “The students have also spent valuable time spraying and sealing 11,000 stones to prepare them for permanent placement at the Holocaust Garden of Hope. These bright students showcased their enthusiasm and focus on supporting our community with their time and treasure,” she shared.
These stones will be present at the grand opening of the Holocaust Garden of Hope. The garden is located at King’s Harbor, along Lake Houston, in Kingwood. The garden aims to use painting, sculpture, music and physical structures to illustrate the experiences of children in concentration camps during the Holocaust and turn it into a message of peace and hope. Stones have been painted by individuals, families, schools, service groups and others.
The Holocaust Remembrance Association stands in solidarity against persecution, prejudice, and indifference by creating Upstanders, who stand against antisemitism. The Honors College at Lone Star Kingwood was proud and excited to collaborate with the Holocaust Remembrance Association and for Honors students to learn more about the initiative.
If you are interested in learning more about the Upstander Stone Project, visit:
https://holocaustremembranceassociation.org/what-we-do/upstander-stones-project/.
If you want more information about The Honors College at LSC-Kingwood, visit:
https://www.lonestar.edu/college-departments/honors/honors-kingwood.htm.
Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Mario K. Castillo, J.D. serves as Chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area. LSC has been named a 2023 Great Colleges to Work For® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education and recognized by Fortune Magazine and Great Place To Work® as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Texas™. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit.
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