This document summarizes an international service learning program called the Mosaic Project between a school in Coba, Mexico and Wilton Manors Elementary in Florida. The project was sponsored by the Golden Rule Foundation and involved students from both schools creating mosaic artworks about their cultures to exchange. They explored themes of tolerance and cultural understanding. The murals created by the students now hang in their respective schools to commemorate the partnership.

1. MOSAIC PROJECT OF
COBA, MEXICO
AND WILTON MANORS,
FLORIDA
• An international service learning program
sponsored and coordinated by
THE GOLDEN RULE
FOUNDATION

3. WE STARTED OUR JOURNEY LOOKING FOR A
SCHOOL IN ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE THE
CHILDREN EXPERIENCE VASTLY DIFFERENT
TRADITIONS, CULTURES, AND STYLE OF LIVING

7. THROUGH THE GOLDEN RULE FOUNDATION’S,
SECOND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE-
LEARNING EFFORT PROGRAM THE COBA/WILTON
MANORS MOSAIC PROJECT WAS BORN.

11. THE MOSAIC PROJECT WAS ENVISIONED AS AN
EXPLORATION IN ART, HISTORY, CULTURE AND
COMMUNITY BETWEEN TWO SCHOOLS, TWO
CULTURES, AND TWO COUNTRIES

46. 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.

47. 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

48. ABOUT 40 KM WEST OF THE CARIBBEAN
SEA, AND 44KM NORTHWEST OF THE SITE
OF TULUM

49. THE MOSAIC PROJECT BETWEEN WILTON
MANORS ELEMENTARY AND COBA WAS DIVIDED
INTO SEVERAL PHASES, INCLUDING CULTURAL
AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY EXPLORATION

67. THE COMMUNITY IS CHARACTERIZED BY
A LARGE MAYAN ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
LOCATED AROUND TWO LAGOONS.

71. 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

73. 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

74. 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

75. 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.

76. INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE
• It creates an international
dialogue based on 12
values:
• confidence,
• independence,
• creativity,
• empathy,
• commitment,
• cooperation,
• tolerance,
• respect,
• enthusiasm,
• curiosity,
• honesty, and
• appreciation

77. 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.

78. 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.

79. 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.

80. THROUGH THEIR STUDIES THE CHILDREN FROM
WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY LEARNED THAT
THEY HAD MANY MORE AMENITIES,
CONVENIENCES, AND SUPPLIES THAN THE
CHILDREN IN COBA.

81. DR. ANA MARIA LEON
COORDINATOR OF THE MOSAIC PROJECT AT
WILTON MANORS ELEMENTARY
created
exchangeable
video diaries
with the
children in both
Wilton Manors
and Coba
documenting
their
experience
during the
Mosaic Project.

82. 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

83. PASSPORT TO PEACE
CLOSING 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.

84. WILTON MANORS MOSAIC
MAY 27, 2010
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

85. COBA MOSAIC
OCTOBER 28,2010
COBA, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

86. 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

87. 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.

88. COBA CLOSING CEREMONY

89. WILTON MANORS COBA
AN INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN RULE
COMMUNITY

90. BOTH MOSAICS MURALS WERE
ENVISIONED AND CREATED BY THE
COOPERATION, RESPECT, AND
TOLERANCE DEMONSTRATED BY THE
CHILDREN IN BOTH COMMUNITIES

91. CORPORATE PARTNERS
collaborations 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,

92. CORPORATE PARTNERS
collaborations 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.

93. OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION
TO JOSEPH D. CONTE,
and
THE GOLDEN RULE
FOUNDATION BOARD OF
DIRECTORS

94. THIS PROJECT WOULD
NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF
THE GOLDEN RULE
FOUNDATION