Dear
Ms. Johnson,
Thank
you for sharing your art project on peace . . . by copy of this
transmission, we will be sharing this with our Assistant Superintendent
of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support as a project we
can all support.
Mrs.
Hamamoto, Superintendent - Hawaii State Department of Education
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear
David,
We
were exhilarated and very moved by the Hearts project on your
web page. What a wonderful way to express what is important to
most of us right now! As we work with kids here at the Discovery
Museum it's very much like hooking up to a source of new hope
and energy.
Mr.
Michael Judd, Executive Director - The Discovery Museums
______________________________________________________________________
I
enjoyed your website and viewing your project. It would be great
if Sarasota County School's Art Dept. would take up the project
- maybe for display on September 11th. As a technology teacher,
I would like to pursue the project using a children's drawing
and painting program on the computer.
Tricia
Varley
Emma E. Booker Elementary School
tricia_varley@sarasota.k12.fl.us
______________________________________________________________________
Dear
David,
I
felt I must let you know how my wonderful students responded
to your "Only Hearts" concept.
Being
Middle School students, I let them "run with it." It was
a project presented to my 2 choir classes of 7th and 8th graders
as we prepared for a major Veteran's Day assembly for the whole
school. We were already planning to sing "God Bless the USA" and
sign the choruses.
They
took the template concept and expanded it. They had to come up
with their own symbol of how they felt about 9/11. Choices included
hearts, broken hearts, flags, torn flags, the twin towers, both
intact and broken off, crosses, the planet, and more. Then, within
that symbol, they were to use a few words to express verbally
how they felt. Some made a list of feelings. Some used scripture
or quotes or song lyrics. Some wrote poems. One of the two classes
then chose to work in small groups with what they had written
individually to come up with poems. Each class then shared with
each other and, with the UTMOST respect (HURRAY!) chose the best
representatives from their class.
Those
examples were word processed and each group chose a reader. Individuals
chosen in the other class read their own creation. Each of these
choir student had completed a rough draft, and then produced a
beautiful final product which was hung on the walls in the hall
leading to the auditorium. Each person entering the auditorium
was surrounded by this emotion-laden art work as they entered
the assembly.
With
input from both classes, an arrangement of the song (God Bless
the USA) was planned in order to accommodate the readings. They
had to consider length, audience attention, etc.
I
had also prepared each of my other classes to sing and sign the
song. I wish you could have been here for this wonderful finale!
Over 200 students, many of whom had never felt personal success
about anything in life, stood in front of their teachers and peers
and presented them with the most incredible gift. This was beyond
description in terms of the impact for both participants and audience.
So--that's
what we did. Hope you enjoyed reading about it. You are also having
an impact here!
Thank
you so much for being YOU!....Keep climbing!
With
love and prayers for many continued blessings.
Jaci Dodd Cushman
jed0815em@evsc.k12.in.us
____________________________________________________________________________
Thank
you for sharing your project. We will send the "Only Hearts" project
to the teachers and educators in our database.
Alexander
Badkin, MD
Director
of Education and Training Programs
Harmony
Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
____________________________________________________________________________
Dear
Only Hearts Coordinator
I
found your web site and absolutely love your project. I am
involved with several schools and would like to link-up with
folks in different communities abroad to present and share
in "Only Hearts." Please
send any information I will need to be a participant.
Thanks
so much - In peace -
Julia
Thornburg, MSW, LCSW
PeaceWorks
Program Coordinator
St. Louis, MO
____________________________________________________________________________
Dear
David, what an awesome idea!! I am the library/art teacher at
our school . . . I think this will be a fantastic project schoolwide
and I look forward to seeing the fun.
Thanks,
Rachaelle
rvogelsang@esc6.net
___________________________________________________________________________
To:
Only Hearts Director,
I
am taking your hearts project to the Boys and Girls club here
in Santa Barbara tomorrow. The kids will be thrilled. I am their
art teacher this summer and what an inspiration your art hearts
are. Thank you for this generous, peaceful offering.
All
my love, Lise
Santa
Barbara, CA
___________________________________________________________________________
Hi
David,
I
do love this website and will use it in my art class, tell the
other art teachers about it, and plan to do the project with the
kids. Thanks for sharing it with me!
Julie
Burch
Southside Elementary School
Sarasota, FL
