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Memory Project 2023: Using Art to Spread International Kindness & Understanding

Delphian School

Memories are what make us human, and the memories we form during our school years are often quite significant: this is when we learn who we are, and develop the skills and strengths that will serve us well throughout our lives.


At Delphian, which is renowned for offering students a unique, experiential learning environment, our children thrive on deep involvement. So our art students were especially excited to participate in The Memory Project, which allowed them to share their hearts with Nigerian children, many of whom do not have parents or other guardians to care for them.


Making Memories Makes Meaning

A University of Wisconsin graduate, Ben Schumaker, created The Memory Project because he was passionate about promoting cultural understanding and kindness among young people around the world, using art as the medium to connect them.


Inspired by Ben's vision, in 2023 fourteen Delphian School art students brought their creative hands and open hearts to the program, using their talents to craft both digital and handmade portraits of children in Nigerian orphanages. The art students sent the original art to the children in Nigeria as a gesture of love and friendship, and kept copies of their work to remember the faces of their friends on the other side of the world.


Art From The Heart

While Delphian's robust fine arts program regularly produces award-winning pieces, there's something special about art from the heart that catalyzes connection and joy, as The Memory Project's immense success illustrates. Over the past 20 years, 320,000 students from 57 countries have put themselves in another's shoes through art.


Ben's original intent with The Memory Project, launched when he was a student himself, was to provide personal portraits for children growing up in orphanages, who did not have many keepsakes from their earliest years. He wanted the portraits to honor each child's unique identity and personal story.


As time went on, The Memory Project began focusing on children in other kinds of challenging life situations as well, such as those facing war, neglect, and poverty. But the overarching goal has always been to create cross-cultural connection and understanding that nurtures both the art creators and recipients.


Today, The Memory Project works with partner charities in many countries that send in thousands of photos annually of children who would cherish a personal portrait from an art student.


Identity Is Who We Are

What if a student wants to contribute to this kindness initiative but doesn't have any portrait skill? Not to worry; The Memory Project has this covered, too. If you'd like to create art for a student, you're invited to make a piece of Identity Art. Identity Art features a child's name, together with several positive words they've chosen to describe themselves.


Just like portrait art, Identity Art honors each child's identity, supports their self-esteem, and shares kindness and respect among children of different cultural backgrounds.


Your "Backstory" Makes It Personal

On the back of each piece of artwork, The Memory Project asks student artists to place a good quality photo of themselves holding their portrait or Identity Art piece, so each recipient can see who made this special gift for them.


The artists also draw their hand on the back of the picture. Thus, the recipient is able to symbolically "touch hands" with the artist. Sweet! Inside the hand, the art student writes their name, age, and a simple, uplifting message that's easy to understand.


These additional touches make the entire project extremely personal — a lot like having pen pals was in the pre-digital era.


The children's caregivers express how deeply meaningful these portraits and Identity Art pieces are — much more so than the artists may realize. Ben says the caregivers report, "Receiving such a personal gift from someone so far away, who has never even met them, is something they will never forget."


Thank you for your open-hearted gift to a distant friend, Delphian artists!

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Delphian School is a private and independent coed boarding school in Sheridan, Oregon - USA

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20950 SW Rock Creek Road
Sheridan, Oregon, USA 97378

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This is not the official site of Delphian School. It is a project made by Delphian Alumni and therefore no part of it reflects the official views of Delphian School.​

Stick around though, as it does reflect the views of people that actually attended this school. To visit the official website go to: www.delphian.org

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