Baldwin-Whitehall Students Create Tree Of Life Tribute

BALDWIN, PA - Eighth-grade students at Harrison Middle School in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District have created an art installation dedicated to the 11 victims of October’s Tree of Life synagogue shooting, as well as the International Butterfly Project honoring child victims of the Holocaust.

The project was spearheaded by English teacher Danie Shaner in collaboration with Harrison instructors Toni Rogierio, Katherine Hawk and David London.

The installation is an 8-by-8 foot work of art with more than 200 paper butterflies created by students and placed in the shape of a large tree. On top of the paper butterflies are 140 ceramic butterflies painted by students, with 11 of the butterflies shown flying off of the tree in recognition of the Tree of Life victims. Rogierio designed the tree and London built the frame.

During a recent unveiling ceremony, Hawk’s eighth-grade chorus performed two songs - a choral piece in English with individual soloists singing in Hebrew and a solo piece sung entirely in Hebrew by an eighth-grader.

Photos via Baldwin-Whitehall School District.

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