Monday, November 19 – Grade 6  students learned about how they can join the One Million Bones challenge. Terrance Smith and Stephanie Roberts from Global Nomads talked to us about the current crisis in The Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.  “Conflict in the DR Congo has resulted in an estimated 5.4 million civilian deaths since 1996.” We learned that the three major contributing factors in the Congo are lack of access to health care, lack of education, and unemployment.

Terrance and Stephanie introduced a social arts project that will raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo by creating a a large scale installation at the National mall in Washington, DC. They showed us how to make ‘bones’ out of newspaper and masking tape. Each bone equals one dollar to be donated by the Bezos Family Foundation. The goal is one million bones made by people of all ages and from all nations to be exhibited in the Washington Mall in June 2013.

Terrance and Stephanie showed us how to make simple bones and we had three hundred by the end of the day!

Grade 6 Biddy and Fruhling classes will also have the opportunity for two video conferences,  one with members of Care International to be followed by one with students at the ETN school in the DC of Congo.

Please see Terrance Smith’s initial invitation to join this project:

I am Terrance Smith current Program Fellow at Global Nomads Group, a non-profit organization that fosters communication and dialogue amongst the worlds youth. We are currently working on a project through our Students Rebuild program called “One Million Bones“. It is a social arts project that will raise awareness about the humanitarian crises occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo by creating a a large scale installation at the National mall in Washington, DC. Students, community members, and organizations from around the world have joined this cause and now I would like to extend the opportunity to participate to your school.

A little bit more about the our program and project: Students Rebuild, an organization that mobilizes youth around the country to take action on global issues, is partnering with for our next social arts project, using education and hands-on art making to raise awareness of humanitarian crises across the world. This project will culminate in June 2013, when we will come together to lay one million bones on the National Mall as a visual petition representing the victims of human crises, and instill hope, solidarity, and our connectedness as individuals. 

 As we join this project, we will be going on tour visiting schools and communities across the country and facilitating bone-making workshops and presentations that are aligned with standard core curriculum. Every bone that is made during our tour is a visual petition to end humanitarian crises worldwide, and will trigger a donation by The Bezos Family Foundation to our partner schools in The Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. There is no cost to participate in our programs, as our goal is to create awareness and empower students to consider the challenges our peers face abroad.

Check out one of our events held in New Mexico… and start to imagine what we can together! I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you and explore how we can move forward.