On Monday October 2nd, award-winning author and illustrator Kathryn Otoshi met with over 350 students from two No Place for Hate® partner schools: Palmer Elementary in Denver and Cottonwood Plains Elementary in Ft. Collins. She engaged students in discussing how to treat each other with respect and how to work together to create a climate where all students count, are included and have value. Ms. Otoshi also worked with students to learn to create a story and practice illustrations.
Otoshi’s well-known books, One, Zero and Two, provided a wonderful window for students to consider their own behaviors, acceptance of self and others, the shifting nature of relationships and friendships and character building. Beautiful Hands, inspired by her friend Bret Baumgarten, asks students “what will your beautiful hands do today?” and is a call to action to educators and students to do something positive and inspirational for each other. Otoshi’s creative approach to storytelling and commitment to bully prevention using different angles made this unique opportunity a perfect fit for our ADL’s No Place for Hate® partner schools! Check out Otoshi’s new book Draw the Line, being released this month.