“Who We Are: My Own Creativity” is a project of Center for Social Isolation Relief (CSIR).

It is designed to help all children and youth to be more self and socially aware, and is especially focused on helping the socially isolated build peer friendships. Socially isolated for fifty years, designer/author Helen Rivas-Rose believes that providing regular periods of socially non-threatening, one-on-one peer sessions will enable students to get to better know themselves and in the process to learn how to get to know others.

Teachers will thoughtfully assign pairs, provide topics for creative art and writing and encourage the students to share gradual amounts of verbal exchange about themselves and their work. The idea is based on the ancient Greek aphorism, “know thyself.” The premise is that you cannot share yourself until you know who you are. Very unfortunately, social outcasts don’t get to know themselves because they are constantly being overly fraught with anxiety about others.

Students will use special journals to record their work and ideas about themselves during this non-graded period. Teachers, parents and guidance counselors will assist in both building curriculum and in evaluating the program.