Meaningful Artwork. Let's make a difference.

Each year, artists across the United States enter the Scholastic Art & Writing Contest. This is highly competitive.  (www.artandwriting.org)


There was an extra competition this year that fueled a very meaningful conversation yielding beautiful results. This was the prompt:

The Gedenk Award for Tolerance, sponsored by the Gedenk Movement, asks us to consider what we can all do to learn from humanity’s mistakes. Through this special award, Gedenk asks students to create original works of art or writing and consider their own role in cultivating tolerance. The work should reflect upon the lessons learned from the Holocaust and other genocides, and attempt to raise awareness of the importance of increasing tolerance to safeguard a peaceful society.  (www.gedenkmovement.org) 

Students had just studied the Holocaust.  The facts, images, and stories were fresh in their mind.

Our minds went back to 911.  No, not a genocide, but an act of terror, that could have been avoided by hearts of tolerance.

And, then there is Rwanda.  A country whose story of horror and rebuilding inspires me.  Through Noonday Collection, I have fallen in love with the faces, products and stories of their artisans.  (www.noondaycollection.com)

My students and I talked about....
how our actions affect others
......how our choices follow us
...........how our religious views can unite people or create division
...................how one person can make a difference
........................how art can make a statement

and it does.

here are their art pieces.


A Million Steps By Kevin Wright  (GOLD KEY WINNER)
"My art work reflects the Holocaust by using the shoes as a symbol to show all the people that lost their lives during this time. The other shoe shows how the choice of one person can change many things. It shows hope because the direction one person walks, many others will follow or make the same choice."

A Million Steps by Kevin Wright

Peace Unity by Andres Perez (SILVER KEY WINNER)
"My artwork reflects about genocide issues because many religions turned on each other and killed many people. These issues bring us closer as a union and closer as different religions. My picture shows religions making peace with each other through the bible."

Peace Unity by Andres Perez

#purchasewithpurpose by Paige Gray  (Scholastic Art Entry)
"My work deals with cultivating tolerance because it is advertising a bag that was made in Rwanda. The bags are being sold to help raise money to create economic opportunity for the vulnerable, as this country has been effected by the Rwanda genocide. This helps people in need support their families."

# PURCHASEWITHPOWER by Paige Gray

By TiaraCaldwell

by: Julianna Rhyne