Project Background and Objectives

This website and the paintings it features are designed to inspire schools and communities to promote awareness, preparedness and resilience around disaster and terrorism.

The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) engaged students in the Washington, D.C. area to depict images of hope in the aftermath of the 2001 anthrax attacks. The CSTS incorporated this artwork into two educational resources. The first is a Teacher’s Guide to help educators implement a preparedness project in their classroom. The second is a series of posters that can be customized and downloaded to help communities conduct regional preparedness campaigns.

The CSTS is internationally recognized for research, education and consultation around the psychological effects and health consequences of traumatic events. The CSTS addresses issues of homeland security, homeland defense and public health and is part of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, our nation’s federal medical and health sciences institution located in Bethesda, Maryland.

The CSTS has selected and interpreted the following paintings that are in the public domain.