The passing of Holocaust rescuer Irena Sendler this week is a reminder of the power that resides within us all to act justly. For so many, Sendler represented a light that drove back the darkness of the Holocaust – its hatred and indifference. Holocaust scholar Dr. Michael Berenbaum writes: "There was a time in history when the most ordinary acts of kindness became extraordinary acts of heroism; in the midst of such unbelievable darkness, there were individuals who, despite strife and persecution, not only extended sympathy, kindness, and assistance, but also risked their own lives to save Jews, showing the world the possibility that moral and humane action still existed in the world." Irena Sendler's heroic effort to save 2,500 Jewish children during the Holocaust stands among these profound acts of moral courage.

Last June, leaders of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center accompanied Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn on an official delegation to Poland that included a meeting with Ms. Sendler. The Lt. Gov. presented her with a plaque naming a museum-sponsored educational scholarship in her honor. This annual award will enable a local teacher to attend the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Summer Institute, a program held annually at Columbia University. This year's Sendler Scholar is Gordon Tech High School teacher Anthony Millspaugh, a dedicated and talented educator who is bringing the lessons of moral courage to his classroom.