Our staff loves a good idea – no matter where it comes from. In a culture that highly values creativity and compassion, we’re always looking for inspiration. When we discovered what Mrs. Debra Barry and her class at Excelsior Middle School were doing, we knew they were on to something that encompassed our core values.
Over the course of 39 days, one class collected, washed, counted, and sorted 40,563 caps, approximately one for every child abducted in Central Africa by Joseph Kony. Through these murals, the students of Mod 5 have proved that every cap counts.
After completing the assignment, Mrs. Barry reflects on the success of her students:
They have embraced the idea of turning awareness into action. They have chosen to speak up in opposition to something, rather than turn their heads away from information that may be unpleasant to read about, hear about, think about, or look at. If my students remember only one thing this school year, I hope it will be everything this project has encompassed:
- SPEAK up for INJUSTICE
- PARTICIPATE in your community, state, country and world- you can make a difference
The intent or message of the three murals is to raise awareness of who Joseph Kony is and what he has done to central Africa. We hope each person that views this mural will begin to have a conversation about stopping atrocities like this worldwide. No child anywhere on this earth should be forced to be a child soldier. When you look at this mural we hope you feel the same.
We only wish our Social Studies classes were this creative. Read more about this innovative project on Mrs. Barry’s blog.
-Rachel
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