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SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES
MICHELE ANGERMILLER
Times of Trenton
http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/ base/news-16/1240286745138260.xml&coll=5
April 21 2009
NJ
As a child, Ida Beth Malloy would complain to her parents that she was
"starving" when it was time for dinner.
This would annoy her father, who informed her that she didn't know
what it was to truly starve.
"I had parents that made me realize when I was young that we couldn't
waste things," said the Trenton resident, now a teacher at The
Pennington School. "My father would tell us that we never starved a
day in our life."
As an adult, Malloy teaches a course, "Genocide and Hate Crimes,"
designed to inform students about atrocities around the world. Through
instruction, videos, and books, Malloy's students are well informed
about the mass murder and horrid conditions affecting Darfur,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia, and
Armenia. For her efforts, Malloy has been awarded the Carl Wilkins
Fellowship, a selective year-long, part-time program that aims to
give recipients the tools and resources to build sustained political
will to end genocide.
"When I was a kid, my parents wanted me to look outside of myself
and know what I do can affect others, and that I should want to
make changes in the world to make things better," said Malloy, who
is earning a master's degree in holocaust and genocide studies at
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Today, Malloy's students will voice their concerns for the world
through their silence with the "Silence for Salvation" program. Almost
30 students will not speak for a 24-hour period, while others will
observe silence during the school day but will talk after school for
sports or other reasons.
The program was founded in 2005 by Ruba Shweihat, a Jordanian student
who was taking the course taught by Malloy. Shweihat organized other
students, raising $1,000 for Darfur genocide victims. Shweihat was
inspired by a book that included a story about an Armenian boy who
pretended to be mute during the genocide in his land, so that he
couldn't be identified as Armenian. In the future, Malloy hopes to
expand the program to other schools.
"The students are going to take a stand for people who don't have a
voice," Malloy said.
In addition to their symbolic show of silence, each student
was required to raise a minimum of $100 in the hopes of raising
funds for organizations dedicated to assisting victims affected
by genocide. To do this, students e-mailed video clips of genocide
victims to perspective donors, educating them about the plight of
people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka. Malloy
says the money will be divided between two charities -- Women for
Women International, which will distribute the funds to women who
are victims of rape in the Congo, and Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network.
The students taking Malloy's class who are participating are
Maria Kane, Newtown, Pa.; Andre Jackson, Ewing; Quashon Nolan,
Trenton; Cyril Akita, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.; and Jordan Casillas,
Lawrence. Additionally, students who participate in Malloy's
after-school program, "United People of Many Colors," will take the
code of silence. Students will additionally wear T-shirts to remind
people of the stance they are taking today. Kane raised almost $700
from friends and family, with one donor so moved by a video clip of
rape victims in the Congo they donated $500.
"What I learned about genocide through the class and all the videos is
enough for me to be silent," said Kane, who will attend Elon University
in the fall with a concentration in elementary education. "I am hoping
that more people will donate money, which is why I am doing it --
so I can make them aware of how horrible genocide is."
Nolan, who has aspirations of becoming a doctor, says he learned a
great deal about genocide from Malloy's class.
"I didn't know these things were going on, that people aren't doing
anything to help them, and it's not a thing of the past," said Nolan,
who may attend Rider University or St. John's University in the
fall. "This has opened my eyes that there are people in the world
that need help."
Nolan added that remaining silent will be difficult, but his family
and friends are being especially supportive.
"I'm going to try," he said. "It's not going to be hard during the
school day, but it may be a challenge after school with my friends."
Cyril Akita, a senior from Queens, N.Y., says that although they must
be dead silent (laughing is not permitted), there are some rules with
the vow of silence that may make it easier.
"We can write notes and we can text," he said. "I am sure there will
be people who will try to distract me and get me to talk, but I am
going to do what I can do keep quiet."
Akita has high praise for Malloy's class, saying that he will carry
her lessons into life.
"I have learned not to take anything for granted," he said.
Those who are interested in contributing to Silence for Salvation
should send checks to the attention of Ida B. Malloy, but the checks
must be made out to The Pennington School. The mailing address is
The Pennington School, 112 West Delaware Ave., Pennington, NJ 08534.
MICHELE ANGERMILLER
Times of Trenton
http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/ base/news-16/1240286745138260.xml&coll=5
April 21 2009
NJ
As a child, Ida Beth Malloy would complain to her parents that she was
"starving" when it was time for dinner.
This would annoy her father, who informed her that she didn't know
what it was to truly starve.
"I had parents that made me realize when I was young that we couldn't
waste things," said the Trenton resident, now a teacher at The
Pennington School. "My father would tell us that we never starved a
day in our life."
As an adult, Malloy teaches a course, "Genocide and Hate Crimes,"
designed to inform students about atrocities around the world. Through
instruction, videos, and books, Malloy's students are well informed
about the mass murder and horrid conditions affecting Darfur,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia, and
Armenia. For her efforts, Malloy has been awarded the Carl Wilkins
Fellowship, a selective year-long, part-time program that aims to
give recipients the tools and resources to build sustained political
will to end genocide.
"When I was a kid, my parents wanted me to look outside of myself
and know what I do can affect others, and that I should want to
make changes in the world to make things better," said Malloy, who
is earning a master's degree in holocaust and genocide studies at
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Today, Malloy's students will voice their concerns for the world
through their silence with the "Silence for Salvation" program. Almost
30 students will not speak for a 24-hour period, while others will
observe silence during the school day but will talk after school for
sports or other reasons.
The program was founded in 2005 by Ruba Shweihat, a Jordanian student
who was taking the course taught by Malloy. Shweihat organized other
students, raising $1,000 for Darfur genocide victims. Shweihat was
inspired by a book that included a story about an Armenian boy who
pretended to be mute during the genocide in his land, so that he
couldn't be identified as Armenian. In the future, Malloy hopes to
expand the program to other schools.
"The students are going to take a stand for people who don't have a
voice," Malloy said.
In addition to their symbolic show of silence, each student
was required to raise a minimum of $100 in the hopes of raising
funds for organizations dedicated to assisting victims affected
by genocide. To do this, students e-mailed video clips of genocide
victims to perspective donors, educating them about the plight of
people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sri Lanka. Malloy
says the money will be divided between two charities -- Women for
Women International, which will distribute the funds to women who
are victims of rape in the Congo, and Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network.
The students taking Malloy's class who are participating are
Maria Kane, Newtown, Pa.; Andre Jackson, Ewing; Quashon Nolan,
Trenton; Cyril Akita, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.; and Jordan Casillas,
Lawrence. Additionally, students who participate in Malloy's
after-school program, "United People of Many Colors," will take the
code of silence. Students will additionally wear T-shirts to remind
people of the stance they are taking today. Kane raised almost $700
from friends and family, with one donor so moved by a video clip of
rape victims in the Congo they donated $500.
"What I learned about genocide through the class and all the videos is
enough for me to be silent," said Kane, who will attend Elon University
in the fall with a concentration in elementary education. "I am hoping
that more people will donate money, which is why I am doing it --
so I can make them aware of how horrible genocide is."
Nolan, who has aspirations of becoming a doctor, says he learned a
great deal about genocide from Malloy's class.
"I didn't know these things were going on, that people aren't doing
anything to help them, and it's not a thing of the past," said Nolan,
who may attend Rider University or St. John's University in the
fall. "This has opened my eyes that there are people in the world
that need help."
Nolan added that remaining silent will be difficult, but his family
and friends are being especially supportive.
"I'm going to try," he said. "It's not going to be hard during the
school day, but it may be a challenge after school with my friends."
Cyril Akita, a senior from Queens, N.Y., says that although they must
be dead silent (laughing is not permitted), there are some rules with
the vow of silence that may make it easier.
"We can write notes and we can text," he said. "I am sure there will
be people who will try to distract me and get me to talk, but I am
going to do what I can do keep quiet."
Akita has high praise for Malloy's class, saying that he will carry
her lessons into life.
"I have learned not to take anything for granted," he said.
Those who are interested in contributing to Silence for Salvation
should send checks to the attention of Ida B. Malloy, but the checks
must be made out to The Pennington School. The mailing address is
The Pennington School, 112 West Delaware Ave., Pennington, NJ 08534.