Bria Johnson, center, celebrates with classmates after her peers voted that the historical figure she chose for the “Power of One,” Oscar Schindler, is the most influential person in history. (Mark Abramson / Stars and Stripes)
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — In a hotly contested race to be named history’s most significant person, George Washington lost in a run-off to a surprise choice.
Our nation’s first president may have led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, but that wasn’t enough in this battle Wednesday that saw a man who saved more than a thousand Jews during the Holocaust and who stuck his own neck out in Nazi Germany — Oskar Schindler — come out on top.
The honor, however, in this case wasn’t decided by historians or stuffy academics; it was up to 10th graders in the honors world history/literature class at Baumholder Middle-High School.
Final voting for the most important figure concluded the "Power of One" project in which each student in Carter Hollenbeck and Heidi Kretz’s class chose an influential figure and portrayed him or her throughout the day. Schindler was played by Bria Johnson, while Nathan Beatty, 16, lobbied for Washington and Elizabeth Styles, 16, argued the case for another surprise choice —"America’s Most Wanted" creator and anti-crime activist, John Walsh.
"It was nerve-wracking," Bria, 15, said. "I was shocked. [Schindler] truly was an amazing figure."
Bria said she gained more confidence in her arguments and in her choice as the day went on. A student teacher chose Schindler for her and she just ran with it. She was all smiles and was high-fiving everyone as the teachers revealed the winner on an overhead projector.
Students prepared for the big day by spending months researching their individual choices and they had to learn a bit about their peers’ choices, too. Bria said her success stemmed from reading a book and going online to learn about her figure rather than watching the Steven Spielberg film "Schindler’s List."
All of the students got into the project.
"They want to be the winner of the ‘Power of One.’ It is a big draw," Hollenbeck said. "They have to become basically historians on their individual."
Students cast their final ballots after a day of intense debate, hearing arguments from their peers for and against Schindler, Washington and Walsh. All of the students selected a historical figure and argued his or her case. The list of figures included President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Osama bin Laden, Mohandas Gandhi and other notable people.
Past winners include Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Lenin, Sigmund Freud and last year’s winner, Charles Darwin, Hollenbeck said.
"Osama bin Laden is probably the most off-the-wall for us," he said. "Nobody has picked John Walsh (before)."
Hollenbeck described the "Power of One" as something the entire school gets into. Past participants watched as the day unfolded, and, after cheers erupted when Bria won, another teacher rang Hollenbeck to find out who the winner was. Principal Danny Robinson sat in on part of the big event, as well.
"This is really a good way to learn about a person," Bria said.
Bria Johnson, center, celebrates with classmates after her peers voted that the historical figure she chose for the “Power of One,” Oscar Schindler, is the most influential person in history. (Mark Abramson / Stars and Stripes)
Baumholder Middle-High School sophomore Nathan Beatty argues his case that former President George Washington is the most important person in history during “The Power of One” as other students in the honors world history/literature class who support his arguments line up behind him. (Mark Abramson / Stars and Stripes)
