It depends on the age of the children and the grade. My presentations differ, depending on the age group, but one thing that I always thank them for is caring about what happened to us and learning the history and having empathy for our experiences. Children are amazing. They understand more than I would ever have given them credit for. At that age, the younger age, they're just upset that somebody took my shirt. How dare they take my shirt? They have the empathy.
As they grow older and into the high schools.... As somebody said before, this wasn't 100 years ago, and all survivors aren't dead and gone. We're still here. When I would be introduced in school assemblies when I did my tour across Canada last year, paid by Canadian Heritage, I would be introduced as “the real Phyllis Webstad” to let them know that this was recent history and that survivors are still here and to encourage them to know the land they're on and if there are survivors in the area, to ask them, and even their families, if they're okay to speak. There are intergenerational impacts.
Thank you for that question.