March 1, 2011 > Focus on human life Focus on human life Story and Photo submitted by Miranda Miller The California Retired Teachers' Association #91 began the year listening to an impassioned presenter, Mario Chiodo, at their quarterly luncheon. Living in our age of anxieties and indifference, sculptor, Mario Chiodo hopes he will inspire ordinary people toward justice and morality by paying tribute to 26 champions for humanity. They embody peace and love of humanity such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Sir Winston Churchill and Oskar Schindler. His vision is to bring transformative possibilities with his 25 foot high, 52 foot long bronze sculpture which will be dedicated in Oakland, this year on September 11. This largest monument in the West has taken Chiodo ten years to complete. Chiodo feels that everyone's good comes from teachers and that it's sad to cut programs in the arts. Many corporations and funds are backing his project. The retired teachers' group also presented a check. An innovative high school curriculum based on the 25 humanitarians has been developed. This curriculum encourages students to examine the heart and soul of these role models, helping them overcome their own challenges and become leaders - seeing promise in their future.