Beginning of article   --Ralph Waldo Emerson  The ability to
communicate feelings, thoughts, ideas, viewpoints, and opinions
empowers an individual to educate others about who they are.
Because communication is a two-way action, when students learn
to communicate effectively they also learn to look and listen to
what others are communicating. Empowerment through communication
skills integrates teaching tolerance for others into the
curriculum. My students needed a vehicle through which they
could not only focus on the communication of their current
identity, but also think about how their identity would define
them as they moved into the adult world.  Choosing a Format
Empty boxes (cubes) provided the seed of an idea for using
visual art to teach the communication skills necessary to
explore student identity ... all I needed was inspiration to
make the project meaningful and relevant to my students. My
interest with boxes was sparked several years ago when I read
Birthday Surprises: 10 Great Stories to Unwra