Header1 The “Letting Go of Judgment” Tree

We want to see trees all over America – and beyond!

We’re talking about the “Letting Go of Judgment” trees, as part of our Everyone Matters campaign!

The brainchild of Jannie Durr at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI)for her university, we thought it was such a good idea that we’re creating a template so you can do it at your own school!

Jannie had campus-wide participation – and the tree and program was covered by their local news station!

So here goes ….

The materials:

For leaves: In Jannie’s case, because she intended to get local coverage for the event, she really wanted “pretty leaves,” so she ordered them online. They were 4″ x 2″, #80 heavy stock. She ordered a hundred of them in teal and white.

You can purchase them – http://etsy.me/N658sL - or you can make your own. Here’s a downloadable pdf of a page with 12 green leaves, each leaf 2″ x 4″ – bit.ly/PNQk7h. Print the pages on #80 or #100 white cardstock. Have students cut them out. You can alternate so that some write on the green side, others write on the white side.

The tree: Jannie used a yard-wide roll of heavy stock paper available at the school. A student used textured scissors to create the tree and the limbs from paper. On separate card stock, they prepared the sign EVERYONE MATTERS in color to match the leaves. It was all assembled on the wall of the inner lobby of the Student Union.

They wanted to create a “splash,” so the tree was put up in the middle of the night, so the students the next morning arriving for breakfast in the dining hall would be surprised by the dynamic tree.

Slide 1 The “Letting Go of Judgment” Tree

How students participated

The key, said Jannie, was privacy and anonymity, and a one-on-one contact. Thirteen student assistants volunteered to engage students in their residence halls to participate. The assistants approached students one-on-one, talked about the project, talked about all the judgment that happens every day, everywhere – people calling each other names, bullying, dissing each other, writing nasty things behind their backs – or worse.

And it’s every category – from ethnic to racial to sexual preference to weight to height to who has a primitive cellphone to the brands people wear, or don’t wear. Judging, judging, judging – when we all have the right to be exactly who we are. We are all equal.

Almost all the students wanted to participate – by writing a word or a phrase they had been called, or a name or accusation they called someone else – or had thought, even if they didn’t say it out loud.

They handed the leaf to the resident assistant, so that it was private. The assistants posted all the leaves on the tree. In some cases, the names that the people had called others – they wrote a second leaf that said – “My speech”

It’s a powerful idea to bring together every way that accuse and judge each other – from the little things to the big things. Seeing it all together is an eye-opener, about just how much judging goes on, by all of us. And it puts students on the road to a bit greater awareness, to dial down the judgment.

That’s why we call it the “Letting Go of Judgment” Tree – for those who have judged others, and those who experience being judged – which is all of us!

Slide 2 The “Letting Go of Judgment” Tree

If you are a student

Approach your teacher, and suggest the project. We are coordinating the projects through late summer and late fall. There will be another phase in 2013.

Please let us know that you are planning this. Outreach to our Campus Coordinator at [email protected]

We will also list you as a (insert title) on our homepage link.

If you are a teacher

Please let us know that you are planning this. We are coordinating the projects through late summer and late fall. There will be another phase in 2013.

Outreach to our Campus Coordinator at [email protected]

We will also list you as a (insert title) on our homepage link.

Supplemental Idea: Short videos

Short Videos1 The “Letting Go of Judgment” Tree

The University of Maine also took part in our student video component – but it’s not necessary, regarding doing the tree. They loved doing both.

With the short video component, students prepared statements to be spoken to the camera – or in Jannie’s case, she had them prepare large index cards, using the written word. Jannie got a camera from the media center, and each student had about a minute or less to share some aspect of discrimination, tolerance, intolerance, being judgmental. Some students chose to take a risk and share a personal experience whereas other students chose to encourage others to become involved in the tree activity.

The options are limitless – students can stand up for a group that they see as unfairly maligned. They can talk about themselves, if they wish. They can talk about a contemporary (or past) hero who inspires them to be more tolerant.

The videos are then posted on YouTube, with the tag, Everyone Matters – and don’t forget to let us know so we can feature them on our website and YouTube page – identifying your school and the student!

Here’s our contact email: [email protected]