PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA – On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, inSIGHT Through Education proudly announced the winners of its Chesed Social Media Contest. This student-driven initiative empowered middle and high school students across Palm Beach County to utilize their online presence to combat antisemitism, bullying, and discrimination through the lens of kindness and compassion.
This year’s contest saw an extraordinary turnout, with 364 students submitting more than 250 original entries. Participants were challenged to create engaging content—ranging from short-form videos to multi-slide Instagram carousels—that promoted acceptance and respect. Inspired by the Hebrew concept of chesed—acts of loving-kindness rooted in moral responsibility—the contest honors moments of human compassion that endured even amid the Holocaust’s darkest chapters.
“By researching acts of moral courage and kindness during the Holocaust, these students showed how individual decisions to help others mattered then—and continue to matter today. Congratulations to the winners and my sincere appreciation to every student, teacher and school that participated.” said Roneet Edrich, Executive Director of inSIGHT Through Education.
Entries were judged on their Research, Messaging, Creativity, Impact and Technical Quality in addressing hate with empathy. A total of 12 prizes were awarded across middle and high school categories, with first-place winners receiving $1,000, second-place $500, and third-place $300.
2026 Chesed Social Media Contest Winners
First Place ($1,000):
- Avani Patel – Bak Middle School of the Arts
- Ryan Corritori & Drew Sukhu – Independence Middle School
- Paige Eitches & Skylar Reynolds – Spanish River Community High School
- Elias Contreras – Wellington Community High School
- Keerith Mahal – Spanish River Community High School
Second Place ($500):
- Ryder McClure – Woodlands Middle School
- Sofia Berkeczi, Kylie Brinks & Kaveera Gajjar – Independence Middle School
- Jaime Saintfort – Wellington Community High School
- Layla Mayer & Amy Sadowsky – Spanish River Community High School
Third Place ($300):
- Long Nguyen & Noah Steiner – Independence Middle School
- Kylie Crosby & Stephanie Ferrufino – Woodlands Middle School
- Serafina DiGirolamo – Spanish River Community High School
- Gianni Molina – Wellington Community High School
An awards ceremony to honor the winners will take place in the spring of 2026. Further details regarding the event will be released in the coming weeks.
About inSIGHT Through Education
inSIGHT Through Education is a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization with a mission to inspire and educate, encouraging kindness, acceptance, and respect for all, using lessons learned from the Holocaust and other genocides, to recognize and oppose antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry. inSIGHT is the backbone of Holocaust Education in Palm Beach County Schools, which is mandated in Florida, along with the study of antisemitism. inSIGHT knows that education is the key to change and is committed to opening the hearts and minds of young people, our future leaders. Learn more at insightthrougheducation.org
About the School District of Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County School District is the tenth largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the State of Florida serving more than 193,000 students (this number includes students that attend non-District operated Charter Schools) who speak 150 languages and dialects. The School District is the largest employer in Palm Beach County.
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