World Peace on the Beach

PASS-A-GRILLE- White banners floated up in the air along Gulf Way. Colorful pinwheels with hand-drawn peace symbols spun in the gulf breeze. Children wore the peace sign on their foreheads and on their clothing.  The parade of children from Montessori by the Sea shared their peaceful message on Pass-A-Grille Beach.

The Montessori school's peace march was part of the International Day of Peace, which was started by the United Nations 30 years ago. The peace message keeps with Montessori teaching, that everything is interconnected and to have respect for all life, said Montessori by the Sea Director Judi Dunlap.

Students in the Montessori by the Sea class, for ages nine through 12, shared what the International Day of Peace meant to them. For some peace was reaching out to others in compassion.

 “Peace is understanding people and not getting into fights,” Vanessa said.

For some peace was an approach to life.

“The day of peace is just being quiet and having a relaxing day,” Anna said.

For some peace started at home.

"This day is like not fighting with my sister and not being mean to anybody," Abi said.

The children made pencil pinwheels for peace. They wrote what peace meant to them or drew peace symbols on the spokes of their pinwheel. After the march the children carefully tucked the pinwheels in the chain link fence outside the school as a peaceful message to all.