Upstanders change our world for the better. We define an “Upstander” as a person who stands up for others and does not stand by allowing bigotry, hatred, or intolerance to happen without interjection.
For the past twelve years, the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County and the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation have partnered to give out the Friedlander Upstander Awards. These $5,000 education scholarships are awarded to Nassau and Suffolk County students who have shown themselves to be Upstanders against intolerance in all of its forms. The student’s action as an Upstander could be one of intervention or prevention, large or small.
The Friedlander Upstander Awards are generously sponsored by the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation. This Foundation was established by Claire Friedlander, a Holocaust Survivor, whose life was saved by people who took a stand against prejudice. This award honors her life and embodies her legacy, and the Foundation is proud to support young Upstanders who make the often-difficult decision to extinguish the flames of intolerance wherever they burn.
The ideal student nominated for this award:
Is committed to making our world a better place by demonstrating that they are not bystanders, but Upstanders who have taken action on behalf of another against prejudice, hatred, or indifference;
Knows the importance of guarding the rights and safety of others, and exemplifies this through their daily actions;
Believes in HMTC’s underlying message that every individual can make a difference in their schools and communities, and knows that no act is too small to inspire change.
Is currently in high school (9th-12th grade), and lives in Queens, Nassau County or Suffolk County, Long Island, NY.
Application MUST include a nominating letter from any guidance counselor, teacher, principal, or other administrator who knows the student who has acted as an upstander and chooses to nominate that student for the Friedlander Upstander Award. The student applicant must be in excellent standing in their school and community.
Dates to know:
March 3, 2025 - Application due, including (a) Application Form, (b) Student essay, and (c) Nomination Letter
March 17, 2025 - Winners are notified and posted on hmtcli.org
April 3, 2025 - Upstander Awards Event - 7 PM at Fresh Meadows Country Club, Lake Success, NY
For additional information on the 2025 Upstander Awards, please contact Zachary Graulich at edu@holocaust-nassau.org.
