Teachers and students from across the Hudson Valley gathered on November 18 for the 2025 Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) Human Rights Institute for Middle School Student Leaders. Held at Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester in Rye, the annual conference brings young people together to explore leadership and empathy and to deepen their understanding of human dignity and what it means to be an upstander.

Hommocks Middle School in Mamaroneck sent eight 7th-grade students to participate in this year’s event. They spent the day exploring what it means to lead with empathy and courage. Through stories, discussions and hands-on workshops, the students learned about human rights, heard powerful examples of resilience and reflected on how young people can make a positive difference in their communities.

Hommocks Middle School social studies teacher Andy Scopp shared how impressed he was with the group’s enthusiasm and maturity, noting, “I was so pleased with how all eight 7th graders conducted themselves. A special treat was getting to see them meeting new friends from other school districts.” He added that he was especially proud of their participation, offering a “shoutout to several Hommocks students (I think more than any other school!) for asking questions in the full group setting.”

Seventh grader Rana said she appreciated the opportunity because “this was something I personally want to do in the future (be a civil rights lawyer). I was hoping to learn some things about human rights and leadership that I can use in the future, and I did.” She added that, to her, “being a leader means to be responsible, have empathy, strong communication, accountability and resilience.”

Another student, Sienna, reflected deeply on the meaning of leadership. She described a leader as “not just a figure who leads others, but someone who leads with great confidence and resilience… someone who stands up for what is really important, inspires others, even changes others who might be struggling in life.” She said a true leader is also “someone who can always embrace others even if they’re different.”

Rana and Sienna were especially impacted by master storyteller Sheila Arnold, who portrayed the enslaved character ‘Ol Bess and shared her story of resilience in the face of trauma. Hearing about ‘Ol Bess’s life helped Sienna understand the difference between ethical leadership and leadership rooted in cruelty. “Something important that I was able to take away,” she explained, “is that many leaders aren’t ‘good leaders.’ Some are so brutal that they only lead for themselves.” The story left a strong impression: “Old Bess explained how she and many others were sold and enslaved. Sold to people who would soon force them into labor, hit them, yell at them, and treat them like dirt!” Sienna concluded that experiences like these highlight why “it’s always important to not lead with selfishness, but to lead with your heart and love for others.”