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"Students craft mosaic
of tiles depicting values"
Palm
Springs - Some 1,500 different messages. Messages about peace, love,
hope, respect and tolerance.
The
entrance to La Quinta Middle School no longer is marked by just
a sign with the school's name on it.
Also
prominently displayed at the front of the school is a 20-foot section
of wall composed of 1,500 ceramic tiles that bear thought-provoking
drawings and written messages.
Each of the school's 960 students and every staff member from the
principal and teachers to cafeteria workers designed one or more
of the tiles.
They created the wall to reinforce the values taught during the
school year in the school's character building Project Wisdom program
and to send a message to people about how to live their lives.
"Maybe it will help people correct the wrong they're doing,"
said student Tyler Thomas, 12.
The wall, which took much of the school year to do, already is attracting
attention.
School visitors and parents picking up their children stop to read
the tiles and are intrigued and impressed by the messages.
"It makes me feel like crying," said parent Esperanza
Polanco after searching the wall and finding the tile her 13-year-old
daughter, Elizabeth, made.
It read, "Friends Make Good Times Even Better."
"It makes you feel the kids are doing something good, and are
thinking about life and what's important," Polanco said.
The messages followed such themes as the Golden Rule, courage, kindness,
perseverance, tolerance and integrity. Among them were such messages
as:
"The Buzz is Bee Nice," accompanied by drawings of bees.
"Help people in need."
"Never give up," with a drawing of students running toward
a finish line.
"Defend what you believe in."
Some of the quotes on the wall came directly from the Project Wisdom
program, such as Benjamin Franklin's "Without freedom of thought,
there can be no such thing as wisdom."
This is the second year the school implemented Project Wisdom, which
encourages students to reflect on the meaning of civic and personal
values in their daily lives, said school counselor Kenneth Blake.
The centerpiece of the program has involved Blake, during each morning's
announcements, reading over the school's public address system one
of a collection of messages highlighting various values.
"Their purpose is to teach kids life's lessons and about making
right choices," Blake said.
Blake suggested Project Wisdom as the theme when art teacher Janine
Johnson came up with the idea of creating a wall as a school project
students could remember for years to come.
Once the project got under way, everyone connected to the school
became involved, Principal Janet Seto said.
That included not only students and teachers but also the school's
parent-teacher organization, office staff and cafeteria, security
and custodial personnel.
The school also received support from Mario Berardi of Roman Marble
and Granite in Palm Springs, who donated the tiles.
There is still work to do on the wall. Next year, the school will
complete it by adding a border of cracked tiles of many colors put
together in mosaic form depicting desert scenery.
For now, the school's staff and students are proud of their accomplishment.
"It could bring a lot of wisdom to everyone who sees it,"
said Michael Miranda, 13.
"We all pulled together like a little micro-community and put
out a message to the bigger community on how we want to live our
lives," Johnson said.
Reproduced with the permission.
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