Anne Frank - A History For Today Exhibit

February 3 | 4:30–7:00 PM

Cross Schools in Bluffton will host The Anne Frank – A History for Today exhibit on February 3 from 4:30–7:00 PM, welcoming students, families, and the Bluffton community to engage with this internationally recognized educational exhibition.

The exhibit is part of the Anne Frank Partnership, sponsored by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and local partner University of South Carolina College of Education through its Anne Frank Project.

The Anne Frank Partnership works to cultivate globally and socially aware students in South Carolina classrooms. The exhibit is primarily designed for students ages 11 to 18 and encourages thoughtful engagement with history while addressing themes such as tolerance, discrimination, and personal responsibility.

Prior to the exhibit opening, Cross Schools Upper School students train as peer docents, guiding visitors through the exhibition. Fifteen Upper School students, including those enrolled in the Holocaust and Human Behavior elective, participate in a two-day training led by Mario Haynes, Arts Director at the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina.

Students spend time at the Anne Frank Center in Columbia learning the historical context of the exhibition, developing skills to communicate its content to peers, and exploring how to introduce broader themes such as tolerance and discrimination. Students then return to the Cross Schools campus to install the exhibit and prepare for public viewing.

A benefit of completing the peer docent training is eligibility to apply for the Anne Frank Ambassadors Youth Conference, an all-expenses-paid weeklong experience held in Charleston and Columbia, SC. The conference brings together student docents from across the United States for extended learning that includes historical site visits, cultural events, and conversations with authors and families of Holocaust survivors.

Participants in the U.S. Youth Conference may also apply for the International Youth Conference in the Netherlands, offering an opportunity to continue their learning on a global stage.

The Anne Frank exhibit travels internationally and is presented hundreds of times each year. It tells the story of Anne Frank within the broader context of the Holocaust and World War II. The exhibit hosted at Cross Schools features 31 story panels, detailing her life and the historical events that shaped her world.

Heather Brougham-Cook, Holocaust and Human Behavior elective teacher at Cross Schools, shared:

“We are excited to host The Anne Frank – A History for Today exhibit for the benefit of Cross students and for the interest of the Bluffton community. By building on strong foundational knowledge about history and events that shaped our present, our students are well-equipped to participate in this event. Experiences like this act as windows to the world for students, helping them develop empathetic responses to current events in their lives.”

This exhibit reflects Cross Schools’ commitment to experiential learning that deepens understanding, builds empathy, and equips students to engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

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