Arwen Donahue, author and illustrator, will lead a teacher training exploring Kentucky’s Holocaust survivors. Registration required at cypressevansville.org.
The workshop provides an opportunity for educators to dive more deeply into Arwen’s book This is Home Now: Kentucky’s Holocaust Survivors Speak and how her interviews with survivors can be used in the classroom, with time for writing activities and group discussion.
The workshop will take place on Thursday, September 17, 2026 at EVPL Central Library in the Browning Room. Registration begins at 8 am and breakfast will be provided. All participants will receive a free copy of Arwen’s book This is Home Now. Reimbursement for a substitute teacher is available upon request.
While this workshop is intended for middle and high school educators, all educators are welcome to attend.
Educators will explore questions such as:
As educators, why is it important for us to center personal stories?
How do people craft their stories in the process of telling them?
How have I crafted their narratives in my own process of editing their stories? More broadly, how does one edit and transcribe an oral history interview?
How can the interviews be used as writing prompts for students?
How can oral history be used to engage educators and students in their communities?
Registration is required at https://cypressevansville.org/event/educator-workshop-arwen-donahue/
*Originally opened in 1932 and designated as Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s main branch, EVPL Central is located at 200 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. With 145,000 square feet, the building contains areas for kids and teens, Maker Central, Education Central, Business Central, study rooms, and the Indiana Room, a special collection of materials that focus on local and regional history. Available for public use, EVPL Central also features the Browning Rooms, a conference room, and a large group room.