It is rare when both the end product and the process of creating a work of art have such a powerful message. This elementary school art project is one of those rare cases.
Sharon Elementary School in Indiana organized a school-wide art project, inspired by Only One You, where each student painted a rock in their own style. The rocks were put together to form a path in front of the school entrance. The school’s art teacher, Jessica Moyes, thought of the project. She really took the initiative and applied for a grant – luckily, she received the grant and was able to put the wheels in motion to complete the project.
Only One You is a book for children – the main character is a fish, Adri, who swims through the ocean on his own. His parents share with him some of life’s most important lessons, hoping they will help him as he moves on in his life:
“Find your own way. You don’t have to follow the crowd”
“Always be on the lookout for a new friend”
“There’s only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place”
The last quote was the primary inspiration for the project, although Ms. Moyes did read the book to all of her students. She has ~740 students in total — enough so that if each student were to paint one rock, they would have enough to form a beautiful pathway outside of their school entrance.
Ms. Moyes shared photos of the kids painting the rocks and the final product, and they have incredibly well received by the community. Teachers, parents, and normal community members praise the project, and are encouraging other schools to follow her lead and complete similar projects.
We admire the message that Ms. Moyes was trying to communicate to her students and to the community by completing this project. At a critical period in these kids’ lives, Ms. Moyes showed these kids that they are all unique, and that is the way it should be. Even though is a different shape, color, and size, they can all come together to form a beautiful path in life. Thank you, Ms. Moyes! Check out their Facebook page for even more information on the project!
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