Otsego will host Anne Frank: A History for Today, a traveling, museum-quality exhibit that presents the history of the Holocaust through the life and perspective of Anne Frank and her family.
The 32-panel exhibit opens Feb. 2 and will be on display throughout the month. Traveling from the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, the exhibit pairs photographs of the Frank family with historical images to explore Anne’s story and the lasting lessons of resilience and humanity connected to it.
A defining feature of the exhibit is its student-led approach.
Twenty Otsego middle and high school students are participating in a two-day training program to serve as tour guides, helping classmates and visitors engage with the material. Each tour will be unique, as students are encouraged to reflect on their own personal takeaways from the exhibit.
“The power of this program is that students take ownership of the history and Anne Frank’s story as guides, then talk to their peers about it while they give tours of the exhibit,” said Corey Harbaugh, curriculum and instruction specialist with the Anne Frank Center. “And when students talk to one another about this history, it resonates.”
The exhibit arrived in late January for setup and training, with classroom tours beginning during the first week of February. All students in grades 6 through 12 will have the opportunity to visit the exhibit.
“What I am most excited about is that our students will learn about the Holocaust not through trauma or death, but through a young person’s perspective—Anne Frank, her voice and her humanity,” said Otsego middle school English Language Arts teacher Ashley Leneway.
“Anne was only 13 years old when she and her family went into hiding, and her diary is filled with life, humor, wisdom, fear and hope. That level of humanity brings history to life in a way facts alone never could.”
Leneway added that placing students in the role of guides allows them to move beyond passive learning.
“When students are trained and trusted to serve in this capacity, we are leaning into our young people as capable, thoughtful leaders,” she said. “Rather than simply consuming history, they carry it forward.”
Otsego High School English Language Arts and Holocaust teacher Lori Laughlin said the exhibit offers students a meaningful real-world learning experience.
“As a Holocaust educator, I love to give my students as many real-world experiences as possible,” Laughlin said. “Since I can’t take them to see Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam, this is the next best thing. I’m very excited to have them all be a part of this wonderful opportunity.”
The exhibit will also be paired with classroom viewings of The Ice Cream Man, a short film shortlisted for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2025 Academy Awards.
The film tells the true story of Ernst Cahn, whose courage and selflessness defied the Nazis during World War II.
Otsego will host a community night open to families and the public, offering guided tours of the exhibit and screenings of The Ice Cream Man. Harbaugh will host the evening and lead discussions and a question-and-answer session, with the film shown multiple times throughout the evening.
Having the exhibit hosted by Otsego Public Schools is part of a broader effort to provide students across Allegan County with access to this educational experience.
Through a partnership between the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency, the Anne Frank Center, and support from the Allegan County Community Foundation, the exhibit will spend three years in Allegan County.
Each AAESA district will host the exhibit for one month, with the countywide initiative beginning in Allegan in December.
The Allegan County Community Foundation will also host a screening of The Ice Cream Man on March 5, 2026, at The Griswold in Allegan. The event will include remarks from the film’s writer, director and producer, Robert Moniot, who will share insights into the film’s creation and historical significance.
