The Bolles Lower School Ponte Vedra Beach Campus celebrated International Day of Peace on Sept. 21 with a special, student-only flag ceremony. Grade 5 teachers Kaki Movsovitz and Jeni Strain worked with their students to plan this event, which included poetry readings, a group song and a Peace Walk.
Along with hand-crafted doves that adorned trees on campus, lower school art teacher Kimberly Thomas helped grade 5 students paint colorful peace poles for display during the Peace Walk.
These poles, each unique in design, featured the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” written in English on one side and the same phrase written in another language on the opposite side. Students across all grade levels stopped to admire the peace poles during the school-wide walk.
Movsovitz and Strain drew inspiration for this initiative from their Ottenstroer Fellowship called “Pathways to Peace.” In addition to touring the United Nations in New York City, the pair visited sites and attractions that represent peace, compassion and unity in Ireland and Switzerland, two countries that rank in the top 10 of the most peaceful countries in the world. They both believe it is important to incorporate peaceful resolution strategies, problem solving skills and compassion in grade 5.
The Ottenstroer Fellowships identify and reward excellence in teaching at Bolles by providing opportunities for professional growth among faculty.
