Below is information about our 2027 5th-6th Grade Student Leadership Day.
Join us for an inspiring day as students work together to build leadership skills and encourage community-building, critical thinking, and social justice. We invite you to nominate up to ten of your 5th – 6th grade students to participate in this powerful day. There is no cost for students to participate.
Our intensive Stand Up! Student Leadership Day programming engages students in 5th – 6th grades with captivating, world-class Upstander speakers, interactive programs, and the opportunity to create an action plan to take back to their school. Student Leadership Day inspires the change-makers to build leadership skills, explore their role as citizens, and develop a deeper understanding of civil and human rights issues. Students return to their communities with the tools and drive to promote acceptance and understanding. This year’s program will focus particularly on overcoming barriers and creating opportunities for all.
Date & Time
Choose between two dates/times:
Tuesday, March 9, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Illinois Holocaust Museum Presents Experience 360, 360 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Wednesday, March 10, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Illinois Holocaust Museum Presents Experience 360, 360 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Keynote Speaker
Justine Siegal
Commissioner, Women’s Professional Baseball League; Co-Founder, Baseball for All; and Women’s Baseball Pioneer
Justine Siegal was 13 years old the first time she was told she couldn’t play baseball because she was a girl. That was the day she decided to play baseball forever.
Since that day, she has devoted her life to breaking baseball’s gender barriers. She was the first woman to coach a men’s professional team, the first to throw batting practice for Major League Baseball (MLB), and she is the first Commissioner of the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL).
In 2015, Justine co-founded Baseball for All, dedicated to providing opportunities for girls to play, coach, and lead in baseball. Baseball for All teams now play in five countries around the world.
Nomination Guidelines
Nominations are reviewed on a rolling basis, in the order in which they are received. If capacity has not been reached, the nomination deadline will be Tuesday, February 16 at 5:00 pm CT.
- A maximum of 10 students per school are permitted. Please consult with your colleagues before submitting your nomination letter.
- A teacher or administrator must participate in the program along with their students. Limit 2 teachers/chaperones per school.
- Students should be willing to actively participate in discussion and activities, meet new people and become student ambassadors for the Illinois Holocaust Museum in their schools and broader communities.
- Students in grades 5-6 in accredited schools or homeschools are eligible to participate.
- Students should have a sincere interest in enhancing their knowledge of the Holocaust, genocide, and/or human rights issues.
- Students should have shown an interest in leadership at school or in their communities or have shown an interest in creating social awareness. Schools are particularly encouraged to nominate students who are not yet leaders in their schools, but who have the potential to be. Suggested nomination criteria available by request.
- Students must participate in the entire program until 2:30 pm.
You will be notified of your nomination status via email no later than two business days following the close of the nomination period. Additional details and links will be provided at that time. Participating schools will be invited to apply for a “seed money” grant to help fund materials needed to carry out their action plan. Application guidelines will be provided to participating schools in early March.
Presenting Sponsor of Student Leadership Days:
Presented by Exelon
Education Services are supported with generous grants from:
Charles and M.R. Shapiro Foundation, David P. Brody Charitable Trust, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Edoardo & Susan Kulp, Full Circle Foundation, Helen Brach Foundation, Jewel-Osco Foundation, Margot and Gunther Marx Education Fund, and PNC
Additional endowment support is provided by:
Congregation B’nai Sholom, The Mayor Richard M. and Maggie C. Daley Education Fund, The Harvey L. Miller Family Foundation Program Endowment Fund, Moselle Mintz Schwartz Education Fund, Barney & Anita Sidler Educational Endowment, and Teachers Educational Endowment Fund
Generously Supported by: Carol Lavin Bernick Family Foundation and Kennedy Family Foundation
Photo credits: Robert F. Kusel