Why We Matter: Teacher Brings National Campaign to the Halls of RMS
A national campaign, #WhyYouMatter, has taken root in the hallways of Rotolo Middle School thanks to Art Teacher Jenna McKnight. Before winter break, McKnight asked teachers and staff to participate in the project and it has taken off.
The photo wall was #whyyoumatter’s founding project. Planned and facilitated with the help of numerous students and staff, a school-wide public art display of 11×17 black-and-white photographs was produced. The display is comprised of more than 900 pictures, each of which captured students’ responses to the question “Why do you matter?”.
When asked about her motivation to bring this project to Rotolo Middle School, McKnight said, “I saw the idea and I immediately thought that we should do it at the middle school. I wanted to do it to really let students know that they matter. They are amazing humans that are different in their own way and bring so much light to this school, community, and world. They have so much to offer. I also wanted others to take a second to think about what their peers are feeling or going through. It is so important to choose to know more about those around us so that we can be empathetic and make the world a better place.”
McKnight gives credit to Kelly Bennett, Instructional Coach at RMS, for helping her with taking photos for the project. She also points to the support of Principal, Dr. Kelley Karnick for giving her the space to be this creative and doing what needed to be done to bring this project to RMS.
Some examples of answers that were given by students include, I matter because: my friends depend on me, I make people smile, I inspire others to work hard.
Batavia Public School District 101 is proud to have teachers that go above and beyond the typical lesson plan to help students grow in their hearts, along with their minds.
