To recognize International Day of Peace, students at E. T. Hamilton School in Voorhees have created an art installation project called “Pinwheels for Peace.”
Art teacher Denise Lewis said the idea of peace does not necessarily have to do with war but with conflict anywhere in life. She pointed to the anti-bullying law passed this year in the state.
“It gets them to thinking about finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts, to tolerate each other a little bit more and also on a broader scale to maybe think a little bit about what’s happening in the world at large that does affect them in one way or another even if it doesn’t seem like it does,” Lewis said.
Pinwheels for Peace started in 2005 by two art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan, of Coconut Creek, Fla., as a way for students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world and in their lives.
In the first year, groups in over 1,325 locations throughout the world were spinning pinwheels on Sept. 21. There were approximately 500,000 pinwheels spinning throughout the world.
In 2010, over 3.5 million pinwheels were spinning in over 3,500 locations, including the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East, Africa and South America.
Lewis said pinwheels are childhood symbols of happiness and innocence. She took part in the project in 2005 and this year. This is her 13th year as a teacher.
Her fifth grade class, more than 100 students, made pinwheels.
Lewis said they came up with interesting images and words used like tolerance and serenity and many drew pictures of family and friends. Most are not so concerned about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“They really focused on the peace that they have in their lives,” she said, noting some do address the wars.
“It’s really sparked a big conversation with my fifth graders,” Lewis said. “They’re pretty aware of what’s going on.”
She said respect and conflict resolution are big themes addressed by her students.
“They don’t want to have to be harassed at school or in their neighborhood,” Lewis said. “They want people to get along.”
Fifth grader Joey Frasca drew his family on his pinwheel.
“I love my family,” he said, noting he also drew a flag and fireworks for the 9/11 tragedy.
“Peace is important because nobody wants to get bullied,” Frasca said, adding peace is important to him especially trying to find a nonviolent way to resolve disputes with his brother.
Sophie Ferguson, also in fifth grade, addressed the conflicts overseas.
“I think that mostly they are trying to hurt us and they think it’s good for their country and we know it’s not so we try to stop them,” she said. “And it’s very hurtful to most people and a lot of people died during the war.
“Peace is important because no one wants to be hurt and everyone wants to have a safe environment for themselves,” Ferguson added.
She said she tries to use words instead of physically fighting with her brother as a way of bringing peace to the home.
Srrishtia Ranesh, another fifth grader, also said nobody wants to get hurt or be bullied.
“I fight with my brother but I try not to mostly,” she said.
