Introduction

Facing History and Ourselves is a semester long elective course available to seniors at Westborough High School. The course is taught by Mr. Gallagher who personally did the work to bring the course to Westborough High School in 2007. Mr. Gallagher will be entering his 10^th year of teaching next year and is an admired, appreciated, and well-liked teacher in the school. He teaches the course mainly through film, readings, and class discussions. The primary goal of the course is for students to realize the necessity for civic responsibility, tolerance, and social action by studying history of intolerance, genocides, and the Holocaust. How successful the course is relies heavily on the willingness of the student to let down their guard and open their mind to the course. This course will lead an open minded student to absorb the information and use it to question their personal morals and values as well as to question how they act in society.

When making my senior schedule last year I chose Facing History and Ourselves for multiple reasons. Although a history course is not required for your senior year I felt this course would be a good choice for me since I have always enjoyed history class and have only heard great things about Mr. Gallagher. Unaware of the details of the course I chose to take it hoping it would be a positive experience. Upon completing the course I feel as though it is a great course and that all students should seize the opportunity to take part in it. This course can be life changing for anyone willing to open their mind and take the course seriously.