“Do Justice. Love Mercy. March Proudly.”
These words guided Terry Fear, a dear friend of CANDLES, who served on the CANDLES Board of Directors and volunteered as a docent at the museum. Her dedication to Eva’s mission was selfless and unwavering. As an educator for 35 years, she was a tireless advocate for social justice. She promoted peace through Holocaust and genocide education.
Terry is remembered for the passion, generosity, and grace with which she lived. She believed the world could be a more compassionate place and worked tirelessly toward this goal.
CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center recognizes one educator each year through the Terry Fear Educator in Action Award, established in 2022. CANDLES honors Terry’s legacy by presenting this award to an educator who supports Holocaust and Genocide Education. This award seeks to identify, support, and celebrate educators who live and teach in a way that honors the life and work of Terry Fear.
Qualifications: Indiana Educator who
- Teaches a Holocaust unit that culminates in a project, assignment, presentation, or work beyond the classroom to help spread justice, mercy, and education.*
- Seeks opportunities to improve the world.
- Supports students’ understanding of the Holocaust using best practices.
Nominations may be submitted by former students, current students, guardians of students, community members, administrators, or colleagues. Teachers who wish to apply should ONLY submit the application.
The application requires:
- A description of the teacher’s career. (100 Word Maximum)
- A description of the teacher’s interest/background in Holocaust education. (100 Word Maximum)
- A description of the impact of Holocaust education on the teacher’s students, school, and or community supported by no more than four artifacts related to the unit. (Photographs of projects or activities, student work–without names, black line masters of assignments/activities, outlines of projects, letters of Recommendation, personal statement, as well as other items not listed.)
- A description of the teacher’s educational value system as it relates to the Terry Fear Educator in Action Award.
LINK: Non-applicant Nominators: Nominations must be submitted by: August 29, 2025
LINK: Educators who wish to apply: Applications must be submitted by: September 5, 2025
Award: The recipient will receive two tickets to the award ceremony plus travel expenses, which includes a one-night stay in a hotel. (Not to exceed $1,500.00)
At the awards ceremony, the recipient will be presented with an award and a check for 500.00 dollars.
The Award will be presented at CANDLES “Evening of Light” September 20 at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. The evening will begin at 6:30.
