Students in Jennifer Fey’s German classes at Howard L. Goff Middle School marked the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall last month. They learned about the Berlin Wall in class – how it separated East and West Berlin, how life was different on each side of the wall, how graffiti with messages of peace and hope were painted on the western side, and its eventual fall on November 9, 1989.

After their class lessons, each student decorated a brick with their name and a message of hope or positivity in German. There were German flags, peace signs and an illustration of President John F. Kennedy with the words “Ich bin ein Berliner,” referencing his famous speech.

The bricks were hung in the main hallway, and then the following week, they were torn down.