The Anne Frank Initiative (AFI), an International Programs affinity group, welcomed more than 200 eighth graders from Clear Creek Amana (CCA) Middle School to the University of Iowa (UI) campus on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Delving into Anne Frank’s legacy through interactive learning, the event aimed to amplify young voices and emphasize their role in humanitarianism.
The idea for a collaboration between the AFI and CCA arose in 2023, from a simple conversation between Kevin Zihlman, UI research integrity and security specialist, and his son, Gavin, an eighth grader at CCA at the time. After Gavin shared the books he was reading in school about World War II and Anne Frank, Zihlman saw an opportunity to connect local students with a university expert.
“I wanted to connect local youth studying World War II and Anne Frank literature with a scholar on the subject here at the UI,” Zihlman said. “I knew that a natural collaboration could happen with the work of Dr. Kirsten Kumpf Baele. It ended up being a win-win-win for CCA, AFI, and the UI community.”
The half-day event began with an introduction from Kumpf Baele, associate professor of instruction and AFI director, who spoke about Anne Frank's enduring voice and her unique connection to Iowa.
“You all are the same age that Anne Frank was when she wrote her diary. Think about that. It’s how I know that youth voices matter.”
“Through her writing, Anne Frank helps us understand history and gives us a way to connect with her today in the 21st century—to have that lived, personal experience with her,” said Kumpf Baele. “Anne Frank’s text brings us the humanity and feelings associated with this particular time.”
During her presentation, she shared an image of the first AFI Little Free Library, which last year’s cohort of CCA students built and designed. That library has since been relocated to the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, where it will support the first AFI outreach program in August for the children who reside there.
Adam Cole, eighth grade teacher at CCA who volunteered for the event, said that this was an example of building strong community partnerships, an integral part in creating well-rounded education for students.
“Keeping the thought of Anne Frank alive through our neighborhood libraries helps to improve access to literacy resources and continues to help us keep a strong foundation of education in our community,” Cole said.
As the morning went on, students were divided into smaller groups for interactive breakout sessions, including a virtual reality tour of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, artificial intelligence and propaganda, writing and identity, lessons on resistance, Little Free Library design, and learning about German/Jewish heritage in Iowa City.
“In the VR experience, I was exploring her annex, and it really allowed me to visually see how small it was,” said CCA student Haylee Mezel. “After reading the play and hearing stories about it, I could actually feel her emotions and why she had that hope—because she was in a little space of her own, but it wasn’t all bad in there."
Classmate Ainsley Haas reflected on Anne Frank’s symbolism of hope.
“She had many signs of hope that you could see,” Haas said. “One of the biggest ones was her tree that she could see outside the window of her annex. I’m going to try and use something in my life to visualize hope and try to relate it back to her story.”
Other students appreciated the immersive nature of the activities. Drew Pfeiffer said the hands-on approach made learning about resistance during World War II more impactful. Flynn Downes added that being in a college environment helped him better understand what higher education feels like.
“I thought this environment was important because I got to know what it feels like to be a college student—more than just seeing how it might look,” Downes said. “I enjoyed being around actual college teachers. It felt like a real college lecture, and I felt more grown up than I really am.”
After the breakout sessions, students gathered around the Anne Frank sapling on the Pentacrest for a class photo. The tree, a descendant of the one Anne Frank wrote about in her diary, served as a fitting symbol of remembrance. Kumpf Baele hopes that if students today can see themselves as a part of her narrative as it grows here—through the tree in Iowa City—they likely will feel empowered to stand up for their beliefs and shape a better, more just future.
“Anne Frank’s diary reminds us that in such times, young people can reflect, speak out, and make choices that matter,” Kumpf Baele said. “We aim to show students that their voices carry weight.”
The AFI hopes to help students develop critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper understanding of how human lives, especially children’s lives, are impacted by global events. These skills are valuable in a world that feels troubled, according to Kumpf Baele. In a world marked by conflict, injustice, and uncertainty, it’s easy for young people to feel powerless.
“I think sometimes we forget we are in a community of scholarly experts, and this was meant to provide a larger experience for CCA middle schoolers while also satisfying AFI’s mission of community outreach,” said Zihlman.
This is the third time AFI has welcomed Clear Creek Amana middle schoolers to campus. The AFI is committed to exploring Anne Frank’s literary contributions and her legacy in a global, contemporary context. Through this mission, the AFI hopes to inspire younger generations to recognize the power their young voices have, just as Anne Frank’s voice does.
“You all are the same age that Anne Frank was when she wrote her diary,” Kumpf Baele said. “Think about that. It’s how I know that youth voices matter.”
Organizers of this event included AFI Director Kirsten Kumpf Baele; CCA eighth grade teachers Lindsay Herr and Adam Cole; AFI Advisory Committee members and volunteers; Heike Kumpf, architect at Shive Hattery in Iowa City; and other UI faculty, staff, and students including Andrew Dahl, Lisa Heineman, Hannah Gorsch, and Kevin Zihlman.
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.