WILKES-BARRE -- The Wilkes-Barre Area School district has a new, year long Holocaust class that school officials believe you won't find anywhere else in Pennsylvania.
It's movie time inside a classroom at Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre and a 10-minute video shows students the painful reality of the Holocaust. It's part of a new year-long class that covers the entire span of the genocide, from Germany's invasions to the liberation of Nazi camps.
"We've had quite a few wars in this country's history, but the Second World War was a noble, necessary war," said history teacher Jack Evans.
Evans used to teach a semester-long class about the Holocaust, but there's so much material, he was always behind schedule.
"This new system gives me the ample opportunity to teach the whole picture."
Five seniors took Evans' class last school year and admit they didn't know much about the Holocaust.
"I knew that it was a tragic event," said Kelli Meganess.
"It was a mass genocide," added Sidney Lonsdale.
The students also believe having a year to learn about the Holocaust is important.
Many of those seniors who already took the semester-long class are hoping the junior class gets as much out of it as they did.
"They were the greatest generation that ever lived. They fought for the freedom of this country and the peace of the world, pretty much," said Alex Kendra.
While the Wilkes-Barre Area School District already has the year-long Holocaust class going, the class will be strongly encouraged in every school district in Pennsylvania next school year.
