Barbara Markham Awarded for Holocaust Education

Ms. Barbara Markham, beloved by many generations of Padua students, received the first Joel Glazier Award in the High School Category this summer from the Halina Wind Prest Holocaust Education Committee, under the Jewish Federation of Delaware. This prestigious award, which includes a cash prize, recognizes her outstanding commitment to teaching about the Holocaust. Markham has been teaching Padua's Nazi Holocaust elective for nine years.

The Holocaust Education Committee praised Markham's efforts, stating, “Your many years of teaching about the Holocaust and your ability to connect it to current events clearly illustrate your devotion to this important subject.” Her work aligns with the committee’s mission to educate students on the causes and events of the Holocaust to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.

Reflecting on her journey, Markham shared, “The course has truly changed my life. Thanks to the generous support of Jewish organizations, including the Halina Wind Preston Foundation, I’ve had remarkable opportunities to explore Holocaust content and resources at several institutions in the U.S., France, Germany, Poland, and Israel. I want my students not only to recognize the dangers of authoritarianism, Holocaust denial, and Antisemitism, but also to understand that democracy is fragile if taken for granted. The works we read hold personal meaning for me, as they reflect the resilience of survivors and the courage of rescuers. My survivors often say, 'Teach my story and teach it right.' It is both a great responsibility and a profound blessing. I am always grateful to our Padua students who see the importance of studying these topics."

Markham was photographed with Alexis Greenjack '25 and Avery Pilger '25, two students with the highest average in her Nazi Holocaust class last semester. “I could study this material diligently, but without excellent, committed students, I would never be successful,” Markham noted.

Behind them, photos of Holocaust survivors Eva Mozes Kor and Jan Rocek—who have visited Padua Academy to share their stories—serve as a reminder of the human impact of the Holocaust. Kor, who came to Padua in 2018, captivated students with her account of surviving Auschwitz and enduring brutal experiments under Dr. Josef Mengele alongside her twin sister. Rocek, deported to the Terezin transit camp, shared with our students in fall of 2023 how his experience working in a chemistry lab under harsh conditions influenced his future professional path.

Markham’s work exemplifies the power of education in preserving history and promoting understanding, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust continue to resonate with future generations.



Padua360 story about Eva Mozes Kor from Nov. 2018

Padua website article on Jan Rocek's visit from Dec. 2023

More information on the Jewish Federation of Delaware