Movie Review: Paper Clips

This documentary features the Paper Clip Project begun in 1998 by Whitwell Middle School in Whitwell, Tennessee. This incredible story began when Principal Linda Hooper asked Language Arts instructor Sandra Roberts to create an afterschool program teaching eighth graders about the Holocaust. She wanted to show her students, who came from a rural, mostly white community of 1,600 people, that tolerance and diversity were valuable assets to any community. The students quickly became overwhelmed by the enormity of the Holocaust, and wanted to collect an item so they could capture the concept of the loss of 6 million Jewish souls. They decided on paperclips, as they were worn in Norway during World War II to symbolize community unity and resistance against the Nazi occupation. As word of their project spread to the Washington Post and to NBC, hundreds of thousands of paperclips poured into their school from people all over the world. Notable paper clip donors include: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Bill Cosby, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Tom Bosley. The students eventually collected over 30 million paper clips- five times their original goal. With the help of their community volunteers and several generous donors, they were able to obtain a German railcar used to transport Jews to concentration camps. They used this car to create a memorial to the 11 million people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. The railcar holds 11 million paper clips, along with several special mementos, and is situated in a garden surrounded by symbolic art. Whitwell maintains the memorial through educational outreach efforts.

This film exemplifies excellence in community peacebuilding. Throughout the film, the individuals involved with the Paper Clip project openly shared their feelings, impressions, and realizations. Watching the characters grow as a result of their efforts and interactions with those personally affected by the genocide was a humbling and emotional process. Linda Hooper continuously stressed the importance of tolerance, acceptance, and community. The domestic and international support of the project was staggering; Germans, Jews, Americans, survivors, their families, along with many others contributed letters, stories, photos, donations, and emotional support to the kids at Whitwell. I was particularly struck by one student who mentioned toward the end of the film, "Look what we accomplished here in Whitwell. Just think, if people all over the world wanted to, imagine what they could do." All in all, 'Paper Clips' is an inspirational human story captured in a well-rounded documentary that allowed the audience to grow and experience the Paper Clip project with Whitwell.

For more information on the Paper Clip Project, click on the title of this blog, or go here: http://69.8.250.59/homepage_pc.cfm?id=78.