BEACHWOOD, Ohio, March 13, 2024 – The Maltz Museum is proud to announce the 2024 Stop the Hate® Youth Speak Out and Youth Sing Out Awards finalists. Winners will be named on Wednesday, April 3, at an awards ceremony to be held at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The community is invited to attend this free event. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required. Register at www.maltzmuseum.org/sth24
Over 4,100 students at more than 100 Northeast Ohio schools participated in the Stop the Hate contest and workshops this year, writing individual essays, poetry, or group songs for a chance to win prizes for themselves and their schools. To say the entries are inspirational understates their power. The voices of these young students shine a light on hate and intolerance—yet guide the way to a more accepting and inclusive society.
Through the generosity of Milton and Tamar Maltz, the Maltz Museum’s Stop the Hate contest annually awards $100,000 to Northeast Ohio middle and high school students, teachers, and schools, who stand up to bias and discrimination.
The Maltz Museum is also proud to acknowledge the unwavering support of the Stop the Hate program’s sponsors,The Semi J. & Ruth W. Begun Foundation, Chelm Family Foundation, Dealer Tire, Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, The Harry K. and Emma Rosenfeld Fox Charitable Foundation, The John and Peggy Garson Family Foundation, The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Maltz Family Foundation, Nordson Corporation Foundation, and The Helen and Louis Stolier Family Foundation, in its mission to combat hate and promote inclusivity within our communities.
Since the contest started, over 50,000 students in 12 counties across Northeast Ohio have participated, and $1.6 million has been awarded to students and schools.
Stop the Hate Contest Finalists
Youth Speak Out – Essay Finalists
Although every participating student will receive a congratulatory Upstander Certificate, and all participating schools will share an award, the big awards go to the essay finalists who are vying for prizes and scholarships up to $20,000.
Awards for Grades 11 & 12
- Grand prize winner: $20,000 scholarship + $5,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 1st runner-up: $10,000 scholarship + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 2nd runner-up: $5,000 scholarship + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- (7) honorable mentions: $1,000 cash prize + $500 anti-bias education grant for their school
Grade 12 Finalists:
Abaeny Dek, St. Joseph Academy
Aaliyah Gundani, Shaker Heights High School
Will Linson III, Twinsburg High School
Gal Naveh, Orange High School
Hong Bao Tran Nguyen, Solon High School
Helena Pearl, Hudson High School
Zoë Schmidt, St. Joseph Academy
Skylar Sidwell, Rhodes College and Career Academy
Grade 11 Finalists:
Adhithiya Balamurugan, Solon High School
Radha Pareek, Beachwood High School
Awards for Grades 6 – 10
- 1st place winners in each grade receive a $400 cash prize
- Runners-up in each grade receive a $100 cash prize
Grade 10 Finalists:
Elizabeth Chen, Berea-Midpark High School
Ayesha Faruki, Mentor High School
Grade 9 Finalists:
Zoe Klingshirn, Firelands High School
Sampson Parker, Garret Morgan School of Leadership and Innovation
Grade 8 Finalists:
Simon Factora, St. Albert the Great
Heeba R. Sossey Alaoui, Beachwood Middle School
Grade 7 Finalists:
Scarlet Grimm, North Ridgeville Academic Center
Rivka Pasternak, Fuchs Mizrachi
Grade 6 Finalists:
Vandy Ickes, Hudson Middle School
Elizabeth Jia, Hudson Middle School
Youth Speak Out – Poetry Finalists
Awards for High School
- 1st place receives $3,500 cash prize + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 2nd runner-up receives $2,000 cash prize + $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 3rd runner-up receives $1,000 cash prize + $1,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
High School Finalists:
Kai Jones, Glenville High School
Mae Mohar, Lakewood High School
Adele Wentzel, Lakewood High School
Awards for Middle School
- 1st place receives a $400 cash prize
- 2nd runner-up receives a $200 cash prize
- 3rd runner-up receives a $100 cash prize
Middle School Finalists:
Anissa Halmaoui, Hudson Middle School
Mia Teusan, Hudson Middle School
Beatrice Watkins, Hathaway Brown
Youth Sing Out – Songwriting Winners
Winners in middle and high school categories receive:
- 1st place in both categories receives $3,500 anti-bias education grant for their school
- 2nd runner-up in both categories receives $2,000 anti-bias education grant for their school
High School Winners:
Max S. Hayes High School – First Place High School: “The Sad Truth”
Max S. Hayes High School – Runner-Up High School: “One Voice For Harmony”
Middle School Winners:
Harding Middle School – First Place Middle School: “Break It, Break It, Break It”
Harding Middle School – Runner-Up Middle School: “Reclaim Our Fate”
16th Annual Stop the Hate Awards Ceremony
Join us for the Stop the Hate awards ceremony, where we will announce this year’s winners of our essay, poetry, and songwriting contests. Two Teachers of the Year awards will also be named at the event.
- Meet our student essay and poetry finalists from 6th to 12th grade.
- Hear the winning Youth Sing Out songs performed by the winning schools.
- Find out who will take home $100,000 in scholarships and prizes.
Get inspired by the next generation of voices, representing different cultures, backgrounds, and identities—all raising their voices to drive change in our communities.
Where: Cleveland Museum of Art, Gartner Auditorium
11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106
When: Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Free to attend, but advanced registration is required. Complimentary parking is available in the Cleveland Museum of Art garage. Register at www.maltzmuseum.org/sth24
Thank you to the Youth Speak Out volunteer essay readers and the dedicated essay judges for the 2024 year: Eduardo Kim, Partner, Thompson Hine LLP, Lisa Kollins, Executive Director, The Superhero Project, John Panza, Associate Professor, English, Honors Coordinator, Cuyahoga Community College, Eastern Campus, Michele Pomerantz, Chief of Education, Office of the Mayor, The City of Cleveland, Cecilia H. Render, Executive Director, Nordson Corporation Foundation
Thank you to the Youth Speak Out volunteer poetry readers and the dedicated poetry judges for the 2024 year: DaQuala Hunt, Author, Poet, Spoken Word Artist, Ygal Kaufman, Multiple Media Journalist, Ideastream, Charles Malone, Assistant Director, Wick Poetry Center, Kent State University, Michelle Smith, Programming Director, Literary Cleveland, Rachel Zake Ozan, Writer/Director/Actor
Thank you to the Youth Sing Out songwriting contest judges for the 2024 year: Joe Butler, Manager of Education, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Edward P. Gallagher, Director of Education, The Beck Center for the Arts, Jeff Niesel, Music Editor, Cleveland Scene, Treva Offutt, Director of Education, Playhouse Square
Stop the Hate® is made possible by the generous support of The Semi J. & Ruth W. Begun Foundation, Chelm Family Foundation, Dealer Tire, Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, The Harry K. and Emma Rosenfeld Fox Charitable Foundation, The John and Peggy Garson Family Foundation, The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Maltz Family Foundation, Nordson Corporation Foundation, and The Helen and Louis Stolier Family Foundation.
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About the Maltz Museum:
Rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, the Maltz Museum explores diverse stories of courage from history and today so that there can be a more inclusive tomorrow. The museum is generously supported by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and Ohio Arts Council. For tickets call 216-593-0575 or visit www.maltzmuseum.org
About Stop the Hate:
The Stop the Hate contest is now in its sixteenth year and has reached an estimated 50,000+ students across twelve Northeast Ohio counties. Students who take the museum tour in-person or online use object-based learning to explore what it means to be a bystander, upstander, or perpetrator. Students examine global events like the Holocaust and national events like the Civil Rights Movement. Reflecting on this history, students also reflect on bias and discrimination they have experienced or witnessed in their own lives and consider what role they play as individuals in being the change they want to see in their community. In 2024, the total amount of scholarships, prizes, and anti-bias education grants awarded through the contest to Northeast Ohio students, teachers, and schools will be $1.6 million. For more information about the program please visit learn.maltzmuseum.org or contact education@mmjh.org
Location, Admission, & Hours: The Maltz Museum is located at 2929 Richmond Road in Beachwood, OH.
- Admission: $12 adults, $10 seniors (60+) and students, $5 youth (5-11), and FREE for Maltz Museum Members and children under 5.
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11 am -5 pm, Wednesday, 11 am – 9 pm. Closed on Mondays and most major holidays.
Museums for All: We offer free general admission to individuals and families with a Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card or a Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) card. Visitors must present a valid form of photo ID. To claim free tickets, please call 216-593-0575 before visiting.
