A Long Island high school senior is sharing what she learned from a powerful summer spent walking through history on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Alexa Roth, 17, traveled to Poland this summer, visiting former concentration camps and Holocaust memorial sites, including Auschwitz, to learn more about the lives lost and the resilience of the Jewish people.

Now back home, Roth is using those lessons to educate others. She is a senior leader in the CTeen youth group at Village Chabad in Stony Brook, where she helps lead discussions about Jewish identity, history and taking pride in one’s faith.

Roth says the experience strengthened her connection to her religion and inspired her to speak openly about being Jewish.

“Being Jewish isn’t something you should be ashamed of,” Roth said. “You should always be very, very proud of what you believe in and you should always spread the love.”

Roth says she plans to continue sharing her experience, hoping education can help fight hate and ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten.