Dear Friend,
My name is David Shor, and I am one of The Mosaic Project’s first students. In 2002, I went to Mosaic’s outdoor school as a 5th grader. Now I am a junior in high school, and I am among the first Mosaic alumni to return to serve as Cabin Leaders through the Youth Leadership Project. Mosaic has offered me some of the best experiences of my life. I am writing to ask you to support this organization about which I am passionate and to which I am deeply grateful because it has given me hope for a better world.
I just returned from serving as a Cabin Leader for a week in one of Mosaic’s fall outdoor school sessions. It was one of the most inspiring weeks of my life. Picture our campfire on the last night of the session:
It has been a long, very full day and it is dark and cold, but the students’ faces are warmed by the light of the fire. They are smiling and singing the Mosaic Theme Song proudly, at the top of their lungs. The students in every single cabin group have their arms around each other as they sway back and forth to the music. It is hard to describe the incredible feeling I have as I watch them. These students came from such different worlds and had not known one another when the week began. Yet here they are, sitting next to each other at the campfire, loving it and loving each other. It has been less than a week, and I can already see the changes in them.
In my experience, this does not happen outside of The Mosaic Project. Where else are people of different races and socioeconomic groups, whom society keeps separate, brought together in a loving way rather than one in which they are afraid? At Mosaic, children who normally would not even meet come together and by the end, truly connect. The boys in my cabin went through some tough times as a community, but by the end of the week they gave each other a huge group hug and did not want to leave. Mosaic brings us together in a situation where everyone gives and receives love and respect. It is the one place that has shown me that love, rather than fear, is the way to go.
Having this experience as a 5th grader changed me. Returning as a Cabin Leader has made me realize that this is what the world truly needs. I am now examining my life and making sure that I am practicing what I teach at Mosaic. I challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone, meet people who are different from me, try to understand where others are coming from, and empathize with them.
These are some of the things that The Mosaic Project teaches young people to do, and I believe that they are the key to creating a more peaceful world. That is why I am asking you, from the bottom of my heart, to give as much as you possibly can to The Mosaic Project this year. Help us work towards a better world. Thank you.
Sincerely,
David Shor
2002 Mosaic Student, 2007 Youth Leader
Mosaic is deeply grateful to you for your past support. You can make a secure donation online.