Last week  Ms. Hamandrawatee Pertab, art teacher at Naugatuck High School and her students in 1st period Sculpture class created tree stumps. The project was titled Wish Trees and Ms.Pertab’s intentionwas for the students to pick an issue important to them and express them through the trees where others can then drop wishes into the trees in hopes to help broaden their voices.

Ms.Pertab chose the project after being inspired by Yoko Ono whose interactive work allowed people to place their wishes on a tree. She then decided to use that idea in order to give her students a chance to express a social issue important to them.

Gabriella Correlo, one of Ms.Pertab’s sculpture students, labeled her tree “Willow Ivy – A Woman.” She based the tree on woman empowerment and breast cancer awareness.

“Women should be comfortable with their bodies and who they are and shouldn’t have to hide their bodies but embrace it.” said Correlo.

Ms.Pertab stated that this tree was very powerful and it “moved her greatly.”

Once the Wish Trees were finished they were displayed in the lobby of the school in hopes spread awareness for the various causes that the trees were made to support. Some of the causes included anti-bullying, breast cancer awareness, women empowerment, and human rights.