West Plains High School social studies teacher Stephanie Cates tackled tough history this summer by participating in “KC to DC,” an intensive Holocaust education program sponsored by the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education (MCHE).
The highlight of the program was a trip to tour the exhibitions at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Educators in the 2026 cohort engaged in 11 hours of virtual classroom learning taught by the MCHE team and completed an intensive guided self-study assignment on Holocaust history.
The goals of the KC to DC program are to increase educators’ historical knowledge, instructional skills, and connections to MCHE’s team and resources. Another goal is to foster supportive relationships among the teachers. As Cates returns to the classroom this year, organizers note she will be better equipped to implement effective and meaningful Holocaust lessons for her students.
“This experience changed me in so many ways as an educator,” Cates said. “I could’ve spent days at this museum, learning and just experiencing this moment. Getting to speak with a survivor and a survivor's son was a powerful reminder of humanity's darkest moments and our responsibility to choose compassion over hatred. I cannot wait to share this experience with my students and hope they too will visit someday."
KC to DC is funded through the support of Sam Devinki, whose parents, Fred and Maria Devinki, were Holocaust survivors. The program will be on hiatus while the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum renovates its permanent exhibition during 2027 and 2028, and it is slated to restart in 2029.
For more information about professional development for educators, or programs for students and the community, visit the MCHE website at mchekc.org.
