Congratulations Grand Prize Winner
Thomas Smyers receives a 4-year $20,000 scholarship and
Shaker Heights High School receives a $5,000 Anti-Bias Education Grant
Click the video to watch his winning essay
About Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out
The Stop the Hate® contest is an initiative of the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage that celebrates Northeast Ohio students committed to creating a more accepting, inclusive society by standing up and speaking out against bias and bigotry as they compete for the chance to win a prestigious award. Each year about 3,000 students enter, and with the help of nearly 400 volunteer readers, 20 finalists are named. Since the contest started 13 years ago, over 40,000 students in 12 counties across Northeast Ohio have participated, and as of this year, $1.3 million has been awarded. Rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, the Maltz Museum is proud that it continues to give young people of all faiths and backgrounds a platform to speak out in support of inclusion and diversity. Congratulations to everyone who has shared their inspiring stories with us. If you are inspired by one or more of these students' stories please share them with your social networks.
Meet the Top 20 Finalists
Congratulations 11th & 12th Grade Runner-Up Winners
1st Runner Up receives a $10,000 scholarship, 2nd Runner Up receives a $5,000 scholarship
Each of their schools receives a $2000 Anti-Bias Education Grant
Click the video to watch each winning essay
Congratulations 11th & 12th Grade Honorable Mentions
Each receives a $1000 cash prize and their schools receive a $500 Anti-Bias Education Grant
Click the video to watch each winning essay
Congratulations 6th - 10th Grade Winners
1st place receives a $500 cash prize, 2nd place receives trophies and a family membership to the Maltz Museum
Click their photo to read each winning essay
Schools and Teachers of the Year
STOP THE HATE SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR
New this year, we created a digital Stop the Hate tour and partnered with Lake Erie Ink, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Roots of American Music to launch FREE online songwriting and essay writing workshops. These anti-bias learning tools taught history, literacy, and the arts for middle school, high school, and home school groups. Every school that participated in a workshop was eligible to receive anti-bias education grant money from a pool of $30,000 that is split evenly.
Congratulations to Andrew J. Rickoff Elementary School, Charles F. Brush High School, Citizens Leadership Academy, Cleveland Central Catholic High School, Cleveland Heights High School, Collinwood High School, East Tech High School, Garfield Middle School, Harding Middle School, Hathaway Brown, International Newcomers Academy, James Ford Rhodes High, Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School, Lincoln-west Global Studies, Longfellow Middle School, Luis Munoz Marin School, Mary M. Bethune Elementary, Max S. Hayes High School, Mayfield High School, Midview High School, Midview Middle School, Monticello Middle School, Mound Elementary School, Newton D. Baker School of Arts, North Canton Middle School, St. Christopher Elementary School, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, Wade Park School
STOP THE HATE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
In addition, with its partners the Maltz Museum named two Stop the Hate Teachers of the Year. Each received a $1,000 cash prize in recognition of their personal commitment to anti-bias education.
Congratulations to Kari Beery, Mayfield High School and Tamara Blair, Newton D. Baker School of the Arts
Hear the 5 Winning Songs
About Stop the Hate Youth Sing Out
In partnership with Roots of American Music (ROAM) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Maltz Museum celebrates the voices of young people standing up to bias and bigotry through the annual Stop the Hate® Youth Sing Out contest.
This year 700 students from 35 classrooms worked collaboratively within their classes to pen original songs as part of an arts-integrated learning initiative that supports anti-bias education. Students participated in two digital tours: “Stop the Hate” with the Maltz Museum and “Power of Music and Protest” with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Then, students reflected on discrimination they have witnessed or experienced in their own lives before turning their words into lyrics with a ROAM teaching artist. The song writing workshop sharpens written and oral language skills, fosters a deeper understanding of historic human rights events, and offers students the chance to win anti-bias education grants for their schools. Congratulations to all of the participants for using their voices for good!
Congratulations Youth Sing Out Winners
First Place schools receive a $3,500 Anti-Bias Education Grant, Runner-up schools receive a $2,000 Anti-Bias Education Grant
Click the audio player to hear each winning song
First Place High School
Mayfield High School,
“Daybreak”
Written by Kari Beery’s 8th Period Class, Performed by Bethany Svoboda
Runner-up High School (tied)
Max S. Hayes High School,
“Our Pain”
Written by Laverne McLain’s 4th Period Class, Performed by Charlie Mosbrook
Runner-up High School (tied)
Midview High School,
“Love Wins”
Written by Bill Lawton & Cassie Lundgard’s 6th Period Class, Performed by Brent Kirby
First Place Middle School
Harding Middle School,
“Stand Up and Talk About It”
Written by Andrea Soncina’s Grade 7 Class, Performed by Ray Flanagan
Runner-up Middle School
Garfield Middle School,
“Stand Up, Work Together, Cheer Up”
Written by Andrea Soncina’s Grade 8 Class, Performed by Sam Hooper
SUPPORTERS & JUDGES
We are grateful for the commitment of the sponsors, educators, judges, volunteers, committee members, and Maltz Museum Board Members, without whom this program would not be possible.
MALTZ MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Grant Dinner, Chair
Milton Maltz, Chair Emeritus
Tamar Maltz, President
Robert Gries, Vice Chair
Reneé Chelm, Vice President
Keith Libman, Vice President
James Gomez, Treasurer
Joe Cimperman
Ronald B. Cohen
Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis
Jordan Goldberg
Lois Goodman
David Katz
Alan M. Krause
Kenneth B. Liffman
Darrell McNair
Larry Pollock
Albert B. Ratner
Barbara Robinson
Irving Rosner
Phil Wasserstrom
Daniel Zelman
Adam Zelwin
The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.,
Trustee Emeritus
Adele Silver, Honorary Trustee
EX OFFICIO
Rabbi Jonathan Cohen,
The Temple-Tifereth Israel
Jeff Kaplan,
Friends of the Maltz Museum
Barry Reis,
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Erika Rudin-Luria,
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
David Schafer,
Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage
STOP THE HATE COMMITTEE
Darrell McNair, Chair
Scott Simon, Vice Chair
Tim Bowens
Laurie Kincer
Gregg Levine
Bobbie Lindenbaum
Enza Roth
Matt Sobel
Joan Szczepanik
Jonathon Wise
YOUTH SPEAK OUT JUDGES
We are grateful to the 383 volunteers who generously donated their time to blind-score this year’s Youth Speak Out essays and Youth Sing Out song lyrics.
See a full list of readers.
YOUTH SPEAK OUT JUDGES
Greer Gibbons, Project Manager – Engine Oils,
The Lubrizol Corporation
Phyllis Seven Harris, Executive Director,
The LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland
Eduardo Kim, Partner, Thompson Hine
Gregg Levine, Consultant, Ratliff & Taylor
Monyka Price, Chief of Education, Office of Mayor,
Frank G. Jackson
Cecilia Render, Executive Director,
Nordson Corporation Foundation
YOUTH SING OUT JUDGES
Taylor Barnes, Director of Resource Development,
YWCA of Greater Cleveland
Joe Butler, Manager of Education,
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Edward P. Gallagher, MT-BC, Director of Education,
The Beck Center for the Arts
Jeff Niesel, Music Editor, Cleveland Scene
Christelle Saint-Fleur, Community Outreach
Manager, Center for Arts Inspired Learning
LAKE ERIE INK
Amy Rosenbluth, Executive Director
Cynthia Larsen, Education Director
Jill Levin, Program Director
Aaron Babcock, Teaching Artist
Trent Bailey, Teaching Artist
Anthony Bilancini, Teaching Artist
Cordelia Eddy, Teaching Artist
Amber Gray, Teaching Artist
Erin Horan, Teaching Artist
Sai Karnati, Teaching Artist
Damien McClendon, Teaching Artist
Zach Schwartz, Teaching Artist
Michelle Smith, Teaching Artist
Sony Ton Aime, Teaching Artist
ROOTS OF AMERICAN MUSIC
Jason Meyers, Executive Director
Kevin T. Richards, Artistic Director
Tam Sivertson, Project Assistant
Ray Flanagan, Teaching Artist
Sam Hooper, Teaching Artist
Kyle Kidd, Teaching Artist
Brent Kirby, Teaching Artist
Charlie Mosbrook, Teaching Artist
Afi Scruggs, Teaching Artist
Bethany Svoboda, Teaching Artist
Brian Straw, Recording
ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME
Joe Butler, Manager of Education Programs
Kathryn Clusman, Manager of Community and Family
Programs for Youth Sing Out
MEDIA PARTNERS
Cleveland.com
Cleveland Jewish News
Cool Cleveland
Ideastream
Northeast Ohio Parent
Your Teen Magazine
ADDITIONAL PARTNERS
Blue Robot
College Now Greater Cleveland
Steven Hacker Films
STOP THE HATE IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF:
Presenting Sponsors
Youth Sing Out & Speak Out Signature Sponsors
A stage for stories of struggle, courage, and creativity; a forum for difficult conversations about discrimination and intolerance; and a platform for youth to share their vision for a brighter future, The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage brings history to life, issues to light, and people together.
The Maltz Museum is supported by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and Ohio Arts Council