To show their support for the people of France, thoughtful student government members at John F. Kennedy created a French flag poster to be mailed to the head of the Ecole d'Etroussat school in France to share with her students. Signed by all of JFK’s students, the poster was accompanied by a letter written by the two dozen student council members, all fourth-graders.

The idea for the flag gift sprang from art teachers Joanne Buck and Laurie Schwartz, who directed the project with the help of student council leader Deborah Smith.

“My students asked me many questions after the Paris bombing, about the children that were affected,” explained Buck. “They wanted to know what they could do to show their support. As an art teacher, I know art can heal. Art transcends all languages, so Mrs. Schwartz and I started the French flag project. The headmistress at the school in France was delighted to hear of our students’ concern, and their faculty and staff thought it was a wonderful idea.”