Featured Sites |
PeacePartners, Inc. honors our valued partners by celebrating their passion for peace, their
creative ideas, and the wonderful implementation strategies they incorporate.
As we continue to support our partners, it is our privilege to showcase PeaceBuilders sites.
Don't just take our word for it. Read about some featured sites as they explored their problems,
developed their PeaceBuilders solution, and discovered positive outcomes! We invite you to sit
back and explore the fantastic PeaceBuilding events happening throughout the United States and
U.S. Territories. |
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| William S. Reyes Elementary (WSR) - Saipan, MP |
William S. Reyes Elementary (WSR) in Saipan went above and beyond all expectations
in their celebration of International Peace Day on September 21, 2009. Staff and students
from kindergarten to 6th grade participated in the Pinwheels for Peace project by creating
more than 700 pinwheels!
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Students proudly wave their decorated pinwheels as they make their way
to the assembly area for their Pinwheels for Peace ceremony.
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Principal Lynette Villagomez led the celebration by welcoming students and staff to the
first ever WSR "Pinwheels Installation Project." She explained that the pinwheels symbolize
our desire for and efforts to build world peace. She tied the objectives of the Pinwheels for
Peace project and International Day of Peace to the school's PeaceBuilders curriculum and culture.
Vice Principal Naomi Nishimura gave a brief overview of the Pinwheels Project (found on the
Pinwheels for Peace website: www.pinwheelsforpeace.com). She mentioned that Pinwheels for Peace
is an art installation project started in 2005 by two high school art teachers in the state
of Florida as a way for students to express their feelings about what was going on in the world
and in their lives. Ms. Nishimura explained that the project was initially embraced by students
and the entire school, and over the years, by millions of children and teens, teachers, parents,
and other adults who are trying to build peace in the world.
After the background and explanation about the event, student leaders read aloud the messages on
their pinwheels before planting them on the ground. Then, all the students, grouped by grade
levels, took turns planting pinwheels in their designated area.
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Beautiful children plant inspirational pinwheels in the ground in front of the
outdoor stage at WSR.
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Pinwheels of all shapes and sizes contain students' thoughts about war, peace,
unity, harmony, and cooperation along with drawings and symbols representing their thoughts and feelings.
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Peaceful children patiently wait while other groups finish planting their pinwheels.
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Pinwheels blow in the breeze and symbolize "whirled peace."
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Throughout the celebration, an instrumental version of the song "Heal the World" played in the
background to set the tone.
Children at WSR enjoyed a fun art project: creating pinwheels. They learned a lesson about the history
of the Pinwheels for Peace Project. They learned about International Peace Day and how each person
can contribute to world peace in very personal and meaningful ways. They also learned what a huge
impact we can make when we work together toward a common goal. And through it all they had fun.
They built world peace, and they had fun.
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