Gorham middle schoolers are leading an Anne Frank history exhibit

Gorham Middle School Turns History Lessons into Live Tours

The 13‑year‑old docent team will guide the school’s 684 students through a moving Anne Frank exhibit, with public viewings set for next week.

Gorham, Maine – In the quiet auditorium of Gorham Middle School, a group of eighth‑grade students have taken on the role of museum guides, stepping into the shoes of historians as they lead younger classmates through a carefully curated exhibit about the young Jewish diarist Anne Frank. The program, run by alternative‑education teacher Heather Whitaker, pairs the school’s 20 trained docents with the 684 students who will attend the exhibit for the first time.

“Does anyone know what a dictator is?” 13‑year‑old Yanamarie DiVico asked a room of eager sixth‑graders in a rehearsal a week ago. She and partner Nora Emlet guided the class through panels that detail Anne Frank’s childhood, the secret hiding place she and her family used in the “Secret Annex” in Amsterdam, and the horrors of the Holocaust that led to her death in a concentration camp.

The exhibit, titled Anne Frank: A History for Today, arrived in Gorham from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam—a nonprofit that creates educational materials for schools worldwide. The panels were first displayed at Stearns Junior‑Senior High School in Millinocket before arriving in Gorham, and are scheduled to travel next to the Middle School of the Kennebunks.

The training sessions, held over two full school days last week, included visits from staff of the Anne Frank Center. Students learned to recount the timeline of Frank’s life, answer questions about the context of Nazi Germany, and encourage visitors to engage with the displays. “It’s definitely very heavy,” DiVico admitted, a sentiment she shared after the two days of intensive preparation.

“We’re not just teaching history; we’re giving these kids a chance to become leaders,” Whitaker said. “When they take ownership of telling the story, they’re helping to create a more just world.”

Jacob Philbrick, one of the docent team, emphasized the broader purpose: “Everyone needs to know about the Holocaust so that it doesn’t happen again.”

The exhibit is scheduled to open to the public on Friday, Oct. 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 2:45 to 4:00 p.m.; and Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The school’s 684 students will all receive guided tours, many of whom will encounter the Holocaust and the atrocities of Hitler’s regime for the first time.

The program arrives amid a national surge in antisemitic incidents and a growing call for Holocaust education across the United States. In 2026, the U.S. recorded a record high in antisemitic attacks, prompting scholars and educators to push for more comprehensive historical curricula. By embedding Anne Frank’s story in the school’s daily life, the Gorham team hopes to counter ignorance and hate with empathy and knowledge.

“It’s not just a history lesson,” Whitaker said. “It’s a way to make the past tangible for our students. They can see the artifacts, read the diary entries, and hear the voices of people who lived through unimaginable hardship.”

The docent program also gives students a chance to hone public speaking and research skills. While the panels were designed by the Anne Frank House, the Gorham docents are required to memorize key facts, answer spontaneous questions from younger visitors, and facilitate discussions about the moral lessons of Frank’s diary.

“We’re going to help them understand why it matters to remember this history,” DiVico explained. “If we don’t know about what happened, we risk forgetting how to prevent it.”

The school’s auditorium, normally reserved for assemblies and performances, will be transformed into a learning environment for the public. Visitors are encouraged to view the exhibit from 5:30 p.m. until closing, with docent-led tours every 30 minutes. The program is free and open to families, educators, and community members.

As the exhibit opens next week, the 20 eighth‑graders who spent two days training as guides will stand in front of a roomful of younger students, sharing the story of a teenager whose diary has become a global testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Maine News Now will report any updates on the exhibition’s impact and the students’ experiences.