The Montessori Children's Academy of Chatham, Convent Station and Short Hills

The students at The Montessori Children’s Academy have joined hands with tens of thousands of other school children around the world who share the vision and dedication to empower communities in remote areas of Central Asia through education. The Montessori Children’s Academy students are embarking on a “Pennies for Peace” campaign to broaden their cultural horizons and become members of a global family dedicated to peace.

How can a penny bring peace? It doesn’t buy much in New Jersey. However, in the villages of Central Asia, it can buy a pencil, start an education, and transform a life. During this campaign, students at The Montessori Children’s Academy will have an opportunity to study the cultures of Central Asia, to learn about group work as they conduct the fundraiser, and to understand their own capacity as philanthropists. They will also discover how even small charitable works can make a big difference. For example, through the program, one penny will buy one pencil, 15 pennies will buy one notebook, 2,000 pennies (or $20) will provide school supplies for a child for an entire year, and so on.

Sponsored by the Central Asia Institute (CAI), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Pennies for Peace is one of many CAI programs which supports community-based education and literacy programs in Central Asia. Established in 1996 by the late Jean Hoerni and Greg Mortensen (co-author of the #1 New York Times best-seller Three Cups of Tea), CAI has supported over 100,000 students and built 190 schools, bringing about significant, positive change in the most desperate regions of Central Asia.

Children in over 400 mountain villages are on a CAI project waiting list, hoping to learn in a new school. The Montessori Children’s Academy students here in New Jersey hope to contribute to the building of a new school and the building of a bridge for peace, one penny at a time.

For more information about CAI or the Pennies for Peace program, please visit www.centralasiainstitute.org or www.penniesforpeace.org. To learn more about The Montessori Children’s Academy and our Early Childhood through Elementary programs, please email us at themcacademy@aol.com or visit our website at www.themontessorichildrensacademy.com.