Hall of Tolerance

I am very proud that I just received the following announcement from my daughter's middle school. This is a wonderful project that will hopefully have a lasting impact on the students, their families and the town. 

March 15, 2012    Dear Parents,   Hall of Tolerance   TMS is extremely proud to announce that the Hall of Tolerance, a project seven years in the making, will be dedicated on Flag Day, June 14, 2012. While this is not a PTA Program, it is a significant school project that merits community-wide attention as we all work together to break the grip of intolerance.     What is the Hall of Tolerance?   The Hall of Tolerance will be a permanent exhibit on the school's main floor, showcasing the school's ongoing efforts to maintain a positive and productive social and learning environment. Each display along the hallway is intended to evoke emotion about past intolerant behavior, or promote inspiration and thought about making right choices in our own lives. The Hall will include the following: Three cases housing over 1.5 million toothpicks to represent the deaths of 1.5 million children age 15 and under during the Holocaust A quilt sewn by TMS students encompassing positive words and expressions A wall of heroes depicting people who have fought intolerance in their own lives A flat screen TV monitor linked into the school's computer network featuring school and commercially developed visuals and videos   Students' artwork, poetry, and literature, depicting themes such as anti-bullying, prejudice, and diversity A sculpture by renowned artist Dexter Benedict representing and highlighting the significant work of our students The inspirational lyrics of John Lennon's "Imagine"; Yoko Ono has graciously granted TMS permission to include her husband's powerful message in the TMS Hall of Tolerance The twelve Habits of the Mind that TMS emphasizes throughout the year All eighth grade students will be in attendance during the dedication ceremony; sixth and seventh grade students will view the live ceremony on television monitors in their homerooms.     How can you help?   We urge every student at TMS to get involved in this special project. We hope that all enjoyed the recent "Penny War," and are grateful to all who participated. Together, our students raised over $2,000 for this project. Over the next few weeks, students are encouraged to bring in toothpicks for the Holocaust exhibit. Toothpicks will be collected by homeroom teachers.     Over the past five years many donations to the Hall of Tolerance Fund have made it possible for this project to enter its building phase. Additional contributions will allow for the project to become self-sustaining, assuring that it will be well maintained and upgraded through the years. If you would like to contribute to the Hall of Tolerance Fund, please make your check payable to TMS/Hall of Tolerance Fund, and drop it off in the main office, in an envelope marked the same. Thank you for your support.   For further information or if you would like to become involved, please contact Tony Andrade at aandrade@fairfieldschools.org or Laura Rigney @laurarigney@yahoo.com.     Tomlinson Middle School PTA