MOSAIC PROJECT OF COBA, MEXICO

AND WILTON MANORS, FLORIDA

• An international service learning program sponsored and coordinated by

THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION

WE STARTED OUR JOURNEY LOOKING FOR A SCHOOL IN ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE THE CHILDREN EXPERIENCE VASTLY DIFFERENT

TRADITIONS, CULTURES, AND STYLE OF LIVING

THROUGH THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION’S, SECOND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

SERVICE-LEARNING EFFORT PROGRAM THE COBA/WILTON MANORS MOSAIC PROJECT WAS

BORN.

THE MOSAIC PROJECT WAS ENVISIONED AS AN EXPLORATION IN ART, HISTORY, CULTURE AND

COMMUNITY BETWEEN TWO SCHOOLS, TWO CULTURES, AND TWO COUNTRIES

WITH HELP AND DIRECTION FROM THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION WE WERE ABLE

TO CONTACT LUIS MANUEL MAY KU, AN ARTIST AND 4TH GRADE TEACHER IN A SMALL MAYAN VILLAGE IN MEXICO IN THE YUCATAN,

CALLED COBA.

COBA IS LOCATED IN THE STATE OF QUINTANA ROO, ON THE MEXICAN

PENINSULA OF YUCATAN. IT IS LOCATED ABOUT 90 KM EAST OF THE MAYA SITE OF

CHICHEN ITZA

ABOUT 40 KM WEST OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA, AND 44KM NORTHWEST OF THE

SITE OF TULUM

THE MOSAIC PROJECT BETWEEN WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY AND COBA WAS

DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PHASES, INCLUDING CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY

EXPLORATION

THE COMMUNITY IS CHARACTERIZED BY A LARGE MAYAN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE

LOCATED AROUND TWO LAGOONS.

IT IS AN IMPORTANT POST-CLASSIC ERA SITE AND AMONGST ITS TEMPLE STRUCTURES, THE NOHOCH MUL

PYRAMID REACHES 42 METERS, THE TALLEST IN THE YUCATAN

THE COMMUNITY WAS THE FORTUNATE BENEFACTOR OF A SMALL LIBRARY

TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE BUILDING HAS TWO SMALL ADDITIONAL

BUILDINGS WHICH SERVE AS A CASA DE LA CULTURA

THE LIBRARY WAS A PAST PROJECT LED BY KENNA NOONE KIRPATRICK OF

ROLLINS COLLEGE, A PRESENT COLLABORATOR FOR THE GOLDEN

RULE’S EFFORTS IN THE AREA

ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF OUR PROGRAM IS THE 12

CHARACTER TRAITS

• The students learn these traits through an international Character Education program entitled Passport to Peace.

INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE

• It creates an international dialogue based on 12 values:

• confidence, • independence, • creativity,• empathy, • commitment, • cooperation,• tolerance, • respect, • enthusiasm,• curiosity,• honesty, and • appreciation

PASSPORT TO PEACE• The students of

Wilton Manors Elementary decided that the value that is most representative of them on the mural, is the value of Tolerance.

TOLERANCE STAR MARKED THE CITY OF WILTON MANORS ON THE MOSAIC

• Children chose tolerance, because the children at Wilton Manors Elementary have learned that through tolerance, dialogue is possible with an open and respectful mindset

• This is particularly important given that we live in such a diverse and global society in which intercultural understanding and respect is an essential aspect in the 21st century.

ONCE THE CHILDREN AT WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY AND THE CHILDREN IN COBA FINISHED THEIR MOSAIC PIECES FOR THE MURALS TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TRAVELED TO COBA TO EXCHANGE THE

MOSAIC PIECES.

THROUGH THEIR STUDIES THE CHILDREN FROM WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY LEARNED THAT

THEY HAD MANY MORE AMENITIES, CONVENIENCES, AND SUPPLIES THAN THE

CHILDREN IN COBA.

DR. ANA MARIA LEONCOORDINATOR OF THE MOSAIC PROJECT AT

WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARYcreated exchangeable video diaries with the children in both Wilton Manors and Coba documenting their experience during the Mosaic Project.

THE COMMUNICATION OF THE SHARED EXPERIENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT EACH PROJECT SITE LEAD TO THE

CREATION OF LARGE WALL MOSAIC MURALS IN EACH OF THE CITIES

PASSPORT TO PEACECLOSING CEREMONY

• During the ceremony the children “traveled” to Mexico, as a demonstration of appreciation.

•the children at Wilton Manors Elementary performed Mexican dances they learned, read poems written by the children in Coba, and viewed the video diary made by the children of Coba.

WILTON MANORS MOSAICMAY 27, 2010

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

COBA MOSAICOCTOBER 28,2010

COBA, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

THIS COMPLETED THE VISION THAT EACH CITY WOULD HAVE A MOSAIC MURAL MADE IN PART BY THE CHILDREN FROM COBA, AND IN PART BY THE CHILDREN FROM WILTON MANORS

THE PURPOSE OF THE MOSAIC PROJECT IS TO LEAVE A LEGACY TO

ALL THE CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES INVOLVED BY

DEMONSTRATING THE FEASIBILITY OF INTERCULTURAL DIALOG DESPITE THE VERY DIVERSE

CULTURAL BACKGROUND OF OUR POPULATIONS.

COBA CLOSING CEREMONY

WILTON MANORS COBAAN INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN RULE

COMMUNITY

BOTH MOSAICS MURALS WERE ENVISIONED AND CREATED BY THE

COOPERATION, RESPECT, AND TOLERANCE DEMONSTRATED BY

THE CHILDREN IN BOTH COMMUNITIES

CORPORATE PARTNERScollaborations and additional funding 1

OF 2• US Consulate,

Merida, Mexico, • Mexican Government, • Instituto Cultural de

Mexico, • Hertz/AutoMaya, • GAP de Merida, • SIPSE, • Yucatan a la Mano, • TIC Consultores,• J. Cumbie

• Coca-Cola, • Medline, • Consulate

HealthCare,• Valencia Community

College Foundation,• University of Central

Florida Department of Experiential

Learning,

CORPORATE PARTNERScollaborations and additional funding 2

OF 2• Comprehensive

Energy Services, • Disney World, • 9th GLYPH, • Frecklefoot Creative,• Cancunissimo-

Miamissimo,• WFTV-9 Family

Connection,• City of Wilton

Manors, Fl.,

• City of Orlando, Fl.,• Dr. Kenna Noone-

Kirkpatrick, Rollins College,

• Dr. Ellen Kintz,• SUNY, • Geneseo, • Dr. Edwin Barnhart,

PhD, University of Texas at Austin Department of Anthropology.

OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION

TO JOSEPH D. CONTE, and

THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN

POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE

GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION