The theme for the Academy’s school year is Discipleship: Becoming Peacemakers. In that spirit, and to celebrate International Day of Peace on September 21st, the Pre-Kindergarten through second grade took part in an international art and literacy project, called “Pinwheels for Peace.”
“Pinwheels for Peace” is an art installation project started in 2005 by two art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan, from Coconut Creek, Florida. The project is designed to allow students to express their feelings about what is happening in the world and in their lives. In its first year, groups in over 1,325 locations throughout the world were spinning approximately 500,000 pinwheels on September 21st. Last year, in its eighth year, over 4 million pinwheels were spinning in over 3,500 locations, including the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East, Africa and South America.
During the week, Ms. Tanya Tone, Mrs. Dorothy Rotondo, Mrs. Diane Schweizer, and Mrs. Patricia Delaney led discussions about the concept of “peace” in their classrooms. Next, the students created pinwheels and wrote or drew on the petals what they thought peace meant to them. Their thoughts included “calm,” “quiet,” and “happy.” On Friday, September 20, the day before International Day of Peace, the students planted their pinwheels in front of the Blessed Mother in front of the Convent. The spinning of the pinwheels in the wind spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country and the world!
Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Passers-by have enjoyed stopping to look at the beautiful and inspiring display created by our youngest students that remains in front of the convent!
Join us for our Fall Open House on Sunday, October 20, 2013 from 1:00-3:00. Visit our classrooms, meet our teachers, staff, and parent tour guides!
