NATCHEZ — Few events in world history are as memorable or as heart wrenching as the Holocaust.

And some students at Trinity Episcopal Day School only recently became aware of it.

As part of their summer reading, sixth-graders in Tessa Aldridge’s class, read “Number the Stars” written by Lois Lowry.

For many in Aldridge’s class this was their first exposure to the Holocaust.

Though saddened, the students were inspired to action.

In an effort to honor the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust, Trinity students have vowed to collect 1.5 million pieces of plastic silverware. The silverware will then be donated to area food banks.

Aldridge said the silverware connection comes from Denmark. According to Aldridge the book is set in Denmark, the birthplace of silverware.

Caroline Coffey is the class elected silverware treasurer.

Her main responsibility as treasure is to keep a log of all the silverware.

Coffey said right now the class has over 2,200 pieces of flatware.

The class has a long way to go.

But Coffey and her classmates are confident their goal will be reached.

“If more people know than more people can donate,” she said.

And while students in Aldridge’s class are determined to see their goal become a reality, many have achieved a new understanding and experienced a loss of naivety.

Many who were previously unaware of the Holocaust are now looking at the world with different eyes.

Jessica Trottier is one of those students.

“I was just horrified,” she said.

Trottier said that before her summer reading assignment she had only briefly heard of the Holocaust.

Michael Iles said he some awareness of the Holocaust but was surprised by his summer reading assignment.

“Thank God I wasn’t there, he said.

Iles also learned a valuable lesson on watching out for his fellow man.

“We should care about others, one day something might turn toward your side,” he said.