Anne Frank House Virtual Reality Tour Transforms Classrooms at Warren City Schools

In May, the YBI delivered a powerful educational experience to over 300 8th-grade students in the Warren City School District through its Explore VR program. Using a classroom set of Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headsets, students took an immersive virtual tour of the Anne Frank House, including the secret annex where Anne and her family hid during World War II.

This virtual reality Holocaust education initiative was the culmination of a comprehensive 8th-grade English unit on the Holocaust, incorporating literature, history, film, and stage performances. The Anne Frank VR experience, developed by the Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam, offers a historically accurate 3D model of the annex, complete with narration and interactive elements that helped students deeply connect with Anne’s story.

“It surprised me just how small the space was,” said Brianna, an 8th grader at Warren. “It hurt my heart when Anne Frank said she didn’t care whether she lived or died. She felt so helpless.”

YBI’s Explore VR program — formerly known as Youth Entrepreneurship (YE) — supplied both the VR equipment and curriculum. Since its relaunch in January, the program has served more than 1,400 students across Northeast Ohio, led by Program Director Megan Payich and Program Coordinator Maggie Byers.

Teachers praised the initiative for blending technology and emotional learning. The immersive VR field trip helped reinforce classroom lessons while developing critical 21st-century skills, such as problem-solving, independence, and active listening—all essential for students preparing to transition to high school.

“This was an incredibly moving experience for our students,” one teacher noted. “They weren’t just reading history — they were standing in it.”

As Explore VR continues to grow throughout the region, the program stays committed to its mission: delivering equitable access to transformative educational experiences using virtual reality in schools. For the 8th graders in Warren, stepping into Anne Frank’s world — even virtually — made the past feel personal and unforgettable.

Explore VR continues to roll out interactive lessons across northeast Ohio, helping schools reimagine what’s possible through immersive educational technology. From historical tours, such as the Anne Frank VR experience, to entrepreneurship and career readiness modules, the program is building a more engaging and equitable future—one headset at a time.