A wall to build tolerance

High school students are hoping tolerance can be built through a wall – well, at least a wall of ceramic tiles.

The students, guided by English teacher Rita Owens, are creating a ceramic tile “Wall of Tolerance” in the school.

Using designs from students and community members, the students and volunteers are turning artwork depicting tolerance, diversity and acceptance created by their peers and community members into ceramic tiles. The tiles will then be placed in a hallway near the school’s cafeteria.

“After watching the film `Paperclips’ … I asked members of my Literature in Holocaust class to let me know if they could think of a project we could work on. One student came to me with an idea for a Tolerance Wall, and over time, with meetings involving administrators, teachers, and students, it morphed into this project,” said Owens.

“Paperclips” is about a group of students in Tennessee who started a project to collect 11 million paperclips in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. The students collected more than 27 million paperclips and turned them into a permanent memorial on their school’s grounds.

Each tile costs $10, of which $8 will cover costs and $2 will be used to bring a guest speaker into school next fall.

Owens said everyone in the community is encouraged to submit a design or artwork (no bigger than 11” by 11”) that depicts the theme of tolerance, diversity and acceptance, along with the $10 fee in a check made out to RCS High School. Artists may sign or initial their designs.

To date, nine tiles have been created, but students and residents have until March 15 to submit a design.

“We hope this will be an annual event, kicked off each year by a speaker at an assembly,” said Owens.

Click here for a tile order form.

Please take note: People with experience tiling are asked to assist in the project. Please email Ms. Owens at rowens@rcscsd.org