‘Pittsburgh Builds Bridges’ has unifying impact on WJH community

Students and staff throughout all the West Jefferson Hills Schools recently united to “Build Bridges” throughout our school and community. Under the leadership, inspiration and guidance of local artist and parent, Ebtehal Badawi, students and staff collectively created a unifying painting in each school which is meant to symbolize building bridges across cultures to create unity and celebrate diversity throughout the district and Pittsburgh region.

Students and staff at each school were presented with the opportunity to contribute to the artwork by taking a brush stroke and individually expressing to Badawi a way that they help spread kindness and make new friends. To help educate and reinforce the important meaning behind this collaborative project, Badawi was interviewed by Jefferson Hills Intermediate School (JHIS) students, including members of the JHIS SpotEd Media group.

Gill Hall and McClellan Elementary and Jefferson Hills Intermediate were the final three buildings Badawi visited in the district to continue spreading the message on different ways students and staff can build bridges. Students at Thomas Jefferson High School and Pleasant Hills Middle School painted with her last fall. The final paintings are proudly hanging in each school to remind everyone, every day, that by respecting our differences can help us make even stronger connections and build lasting bridges between all of us.