The Community of Holocaust Education Centers (CHEC) is a dedicated network of local and regional organizations that participates in training at the Museum, learning about new resources and historical content, and engaging in ongoing collaboration with peers advancing Holocaust education across the country.
The Museum provides ongoing support to each CHEC partner with a variety of resources aligned with their unique educational goals. Collectively this network aims to ensure that every secondary student in the US can examine how and why the Holocaust happened, and think critically about their roles and responsibilities today.
Holocaust Centers Joining this Community
- Participate in a comprehensive professional learning program to advance best practices in Holocaust education
- Collaborate with a Museum Teacher Fellow in their region
- Join monthly learning and networking opportunities
- Have early access to Museum resources, professional learning opportunities, and special educator programming and events
CHEC Conference
Holocaust organizations selected for the Community of Holocaust Education Centers attend a three-day professional learning conference at the Museum in Washington, DC. Working closely with Museum historians and educators, the bi-annual CHEC cohort learns about teaching guidelines, Museum resources, and research-based pedagogical models that advance their educational programming.
Co-Hosted Local Workshops
Each CHEC partner is paired with a Museum Teacher Fellow in their region during the conference and through the following two years. Working with the Museum, they co-design and conduct a local professional development workshop for educators that demonstrates how to use CHEC center and Museum resources to support high-quality Holocaust education in the year following the conference.
Ongoing Support and Networking
After the two-year cohort is completed, CHEC partners will remain engaged with the Museum and others in the Community. This network meets regularly to learn from leading educators and fellow CHEC partners to address challenges of and opportunities within Holocaust education, memory, and awareness.
How to Apply to Become a CHEC Partner
The next in-person conference for new CHEC partners will take place at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on February 5–7, 2024. Please note that only one person from an organization may attend, preferably a staff member who oversees teacher professional development. Details about eligibility and requirements are on the application.
For information about CHEC, contact Christina Chavarria at cchavarria@ushmm.org.
