These are some of the Sense of Wonder Creations community service projects.

Universal Peace and Justice Mural: This is a mural about 8 by 11 feet that took six high school students approximately 106 hours to plan, prepare and paint at a local hospital waiting room using acrylic paint. It is a collage of portraits of a man and woman from each continent who have influenced peace and justice in the world as well as paintings of indigenous animals, scenery and architecture. The portraits are of Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Theresa, Lech Walesa, Mahatma Ghandi, Aung San Suu Kyi, Dame Whinia Cooper, Nainoa Thompson, Nelson Mandela, Wangari Mathaai, Chico Mendez and Rigaberta Menchu. During the time the students were painting they had the opportunity to express their love and care for the people at the hospital.The interaction between the students, patients, nurses and doctors fostered the students’ self-esteem and mutually benefitted all involved. While using their talents and increasing their skills, they also gained knowledge about the subjects of the painting. The mural is finished now and there will be a key and short biography of each person represented. We intend to photograph the mural and make cards that can be used to benefit organizations that sponsor peace and justice around the globe.

A representational mural of Martha’s Vineyard at the local hospital about 35 feet long painted by six high school students with the similar experiences as the previous mural.

An abstract and representational mural of nature scenes, animals and imaginary creatures on the back of a building next to a local soccer field. It is 100 feet long and was painted to help prevent graffitti.

Educational murals on paper about 8 feet by 12 feet that have hung in the local library having to do with animals and environmental consciousness.

During the summer day camp the children have drawn, painted, created, written and performed: art work, plays, puppet shows, songs, music, videos, sculptures, masks, poetry, essays, books, and dance. All plays, puppet shows, songs, videos and creative writing etc are original and have meaningful story lines related to the understanding of ethnic diversity, peace, justice, a social issue, or caring for animals and the environment.

Film on peace and justice summer 2002: 20 children aged 7-12 drew and painted pictures, wrote poetry and stories, wrote a song, choreographed a dance, acted out real life situations, and discussed their deepest feelings related to peace while two 13 year olds filmed them and then edited the film with a little guidance from an adult computer technician. It took about 24 hours of one week to complete the project. It provided an opportunity for the children to think about, discuss, understand more clearly, express and create peace. In summer of 2003 we did a similar film.

* see works in progress: A film on peace and justice at the local Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Creation of large papier mache animals of up to 5 feet high and to 8 feet long that are raffled off for the benefit of the environment, an orphanage in a foreign country and endangered species. Colorful and representational elephant, dolphin, giraffe, hummingbird with trumpet flower and panda bear. The children also papier machéed a garbage can to look like a frog for a recycling container.

Art and craft fairs to benefit the environment and four to benefit the environment and a children's orphanages in Peru, Vietnam, the Middle East and Africa.

Each year we do volunteer work with children who are HIV positive at the local Safe Haven Camp. We have made masks, puppets, a portable mural and paintings of their design about love and community.

Creative arts exchange and interactive games with Camp Jabberwocky: a local cerebral palsy summer camp. SOWC students and counselors have done face painting for numerous local and global non-profit organization fund raising events. We have visited Windemere, the local nursing home for the elderly to work with clay and paint pictures together.

SOWC high school students drew portraits of prominent African American writers, musicians, educators and statesman and put them in the windows of downtown Tisbury businesses to celebrate African American History month.

We decorated pottery bowls to sell for the benefit of fifth grade children sailing for a week on the Shenandoah, a traditional 108 foot wooden topsail schooner.

High School students painted and decorated two store windows related to the celebration of the 20th and 24th anniversaries of Earth Day.

We have facilitated art workshops and donated art materials, books and clothing to developing countries: Bequia, West Indies; Peru; Cuba.

March 2003 to the spring of 2005:

An explanation of the film SOWC is creating with the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Students on Peace & Justice

Here is letter sent to Martha's Vineyard Regional High School teachers and students:

This communication is to let you know that Pam Benjamin is looking forward to coming into the High School to finish filming students expressing their deepest feelings, hopes, dreams, aspirations, or concerns on the concepts of peace and justice. We would like to encourage students to express themselves however they feel most comfortable and inspired; for example, in any visual art medium, sculpture, creative writing, poetry, music, dance, theater, improvisation, role playing, computer graphics, film etc. We also hope to film the creative process and dialogues.

The overall theme of this project will be peace and justice. We will encourage students to think freely about what peace and justice means to them. One's vision might address international relations, issues in the high school or community, tolerance of different cultures and viewpoints, family relations, human rights, the environment, a sensible national security plan, or whatever one feels is pertinent. We would like to offer students an opportunity to express their visions of a future world where they and others could thrive in safety and happiness.

We hope that the final product will be a "technical tapestry" woven together using threads from a variety of different mediums, perspectives and the student's creative process and dialogue. This will be a project funded by Sense of Wonder Creations, a year round non-profit organization founded in 1991 and directed by Pam Benjamin. SOWC blends the creative arts with helping young people to appreciate ethnic diversity, expand their understanding of peace and justice, care for the environment and use their skills in local and global community service.

What is the purpose?
The film will provide an opportunity for the students to think deeply about peace, explore it, talk about it, understand it more clearly, express it and create it.

What is the teacher's role?
The teacher's participation will be voluntary. Pam will visit classrooms or various locations to film discussions, creative process and finished projects. The teacher's encouragement of the students is always welcome. We also greatly welcome any teacher's initiative to interweave aspects of this project with their curriculum. We are always available to help facilitate a discussion.

Extra Credit?
Some of the teachers are giving credit for the projects, if it meets their standard of quality and effort. It is also possible to get some community service points

Time commitment?
We will be filming in the school from March 2003 through 2004. This is completely voluntary so each student or teacher will be participating for as much time as it takes to complete their peace projects.

Who will be involved?
Pam, Wesley and Jonathan Skurnik.

How will we know who wants to participate?
There will be sign up sheets available in the classrooms.

What camera will we be using?
We will be using Pam's Canon GL2 digital video camera

Who will do the filming and editing?
Pam and a professional editor

When and where will the film be shown?
At the MVRHS, any classroom, the local cable access channel, film festivals, peace group meetings, an intercultural school exchange, any opportunity possible, next year

Is this a funded project?
The project will be completely funded by donations made to SOWC specifically for Community Service projects.

For information of how you can make a donation for ongoing and future projects, please see the bottom of our Ongoing & Future Projects page.