Spreading Peace and Becoming Change-makers at Friends’ Central

Friends’ Central students, faculty, and staff participated in a variety of activities in honor of International Day of Peace on Wednesday, September 21.

Middle and Upper School students and faculty took part in a Peace Day program and Meeting for Worship on September 21. The program featured three moving performances, kicking off with the Middle School Chorus as they sang A-Salaamu Aleykum, a Muslim greeting in Arabic that means “Peace be upon you.” The Middle and Upper School Chorus and Strings performed a beautiful rendition of “We Shall Overcome,” a song that became an important anthem of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. The Contemporary Stage class read “The Moment Before,” a moving original piece by Amelia Boscov ’16. Music teacher and soccer coach Galen Guindon ’06 led a music activity that got the entire audience involved in making music, and Peace Studies teacher Mike Crauderueff discussed how students and staff can contribute to finding long-term solutions for peace. To wrap up the day, Middle Schoolers created peace-dove mobiles, which hang beautifully in the Middle School building.

During the week, Lower School students created peace flags – describing peace and love in their own words – in anticipation of Peace Day. On Friday, September 23, students and teachers held a special outdoor Meeting for Worship, with young voices singing around the labyrinth in the morning sun and sharing hope-filled messages of peace. Later in the day, Lower School classes visited the peace pole, a beautiful location on campus, decorated with peace rocks, stones, and the students’ peace flags. On the peace pole, the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” are written in an array of languages, giving students an opportunity to think about what peace really means and how those in different countries can come together to create peace worldwide.

“On Peace Day, our community came together, lifting up silence, music, and words that powerfully reminded us of our commitment to be cultivators of peace in our hearts, our country, and our world,” shared Quaker Coordinator Robyn Richmond.

As a follow-up to Peace Day activities, there will be an opportunity for students in all divisions to meet to discuss any current events and how they can be change-makers in the world and their communities.