09/12/2026
Mrs. Shaw's 5th and 6th grade students created this collaborative art project today in remembrance of 9/11. Students learned about one of the ways people came together to support those who had experienced loss. One example was America's Camp, a nonprofit organization that ran a summer camp for children who lost parents or loved ones in the 9/11 attacks.
At the camp, children spent time together in a safe and caring environment, where they could play, make art, and share their feelings with others who had similar experiences. In the summer of 2006, artist Traci Molloy worked with campers at America's Camp to create a papier mâché sculpture called The Feathers of a Phoenix.
In Greek mythology, the phoenix is a creature that lives forever by being reborn from its ashes, making it a symbol of hope and new beginnings. Each camper created a feather on the phoenix to express how they were feeling or to honor someone important to them - often a parent or loved one who had died.
When all the feathers were put together, they formed one large artwork that represented healing, memory, and strength.
