Today was the International Day of Peace, a day to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace among all nations and peoples. At our very own Regional Day School (RDS), staff and students have been participating in this tradition for over 20 years with Pinwheels for Peace!
Pinwheels for Peace started as the dream of two art teachers over two decades ago and has since become a globally recognized, annual project where communities make and display pinwheels to share messages of peace. This year, students at RDS took turns visiting the school gymnasium, where they stopped at a number of craft stations to create physical representations of peace and harmony!
After creating an individual link of construction paper, each student then added their link to the Friendship Chain, building it longer and longer as every Penguin pitched in. The chain soon stood long enough for an entire team to hold up, showing how a community is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Students were also able to express their individual thoughts and feelings on the day by creating placemats with paint, stencils, and all sorts of colorful craft paper.
Lastly, each student had an opportunity to display their hope for peace by creating a unique pinwheel that was then planted in front of the school. As students placed their pinwheels, they joined a chorus of millions of others around the world calling for a brighter tomorrow.
By participating in Pinwheels for Peace, our Penguins did not just strengthen the community of their school - they strengthened the community of their township, and even their world!