Fourth graders from Jefferson ES in Sapulpa Our students read many quotes that dealt with diversity.  The students discussed the meanings of the quotes and how they could relate these quotes to their own school, their own country and their own world.  Students selected a quote by Jimmy Carter that very succinctly expressed what we wanted this project to communicate. "We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic.  Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." ---Jimmy Carter Students also listened to "Finlandia“ performed by the Indigo Girls and other songs with a message of accepting diversity while working on this project.

Preschool Students from Chouteau Elementary School in Tulsa The process of creating this diversity project was dynamic.  We began by discussing how we are alike and how we are different. The children came upon the idea that we all came from “inside a mommy,” and that we all can “love.”  This unleashed the making of love tubes!  Each child made a unique tube by rolling newspaper covered in tissue paper and ribbon.  No two were the same. Then we connected all the love tubes to make one heart. What happened next was amazing!  The children began to decorate and add elements like beads and cellophane. Kloe, a student, said, “It’s our heart, its beautiful.”

Created by Purcell Middle & High School Students Following the adage of “you can not judge a person until you have walked a mile in his (hers) moccasins (shoes)”, our school will create an installation piece of art that illustrates the concept.  Students will decorate a shoe in a way that represents who they are in the world- their thoughts, experiences, beliefs- they will paint/collage/write/on a shoe, and on an attached tag complete the line, “If you walked a mile in my shoes you would know….”  The shoes are be hung and connected with reflection tape to symbolize that while we each have unique experiences and beliefs, we are all connected as the human race.  A collection of the statements will be turned into a poem that will bring awareness to the fact that each of us walks with joy and love, pain and struggle, hope and fear.  Through this awareness and understanding we will foster community and the deeper understanding that we all have value, we all shine, and we are all connected.  Hate and ignorance stem from the unknown and as we become known to one another, we will be moving towards genuine acceptance of all.

7th graders from Bell Isle MS in OKC Our students planned a talent show for the entire school and community showcasing different cultural dances, songs, and other practices. They decided to combine this with a charity event, and contacted local businesses to donate goods to raffle. The event occurred on February 8th, and there were an approx. 200 people in attendance. The talent was superb, and we raised $2400 for the Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya. This entry is an artistic representation of the event, along with the motivation behind the planning and reasoning. The students gained a great appreciation of planning events, of the importance of charitable giving, and of respecting cultural practices.