On November 2, 2022

Barstow students celebrate peace

By Jacob Powsner
Barstow students in grades K-8 formed a peace sign as part of the International Peace Pole Project.

On Oct. 21, a month after the International Day of Peace on Sept 21, Barstow Memorial School planted a Peace Pole and joined the International Peace Pole Project. The Peace Pole began last spring as part of a Vermont Community Foundation Spark Grant in Chittenden. Students in the Helping Hands Club had begun the pole and introduced it to the community at a music on the green celebration. This fall students completed the pole and presented it as part of an assembly program with the entire school. The celebration included planting the pole, sharing the May Peace Prevail on Earth in English, Spanish, French and Mohican. Then with the agents of peace students leading we shared poetry, music, poppy planting and created a large peace symbol drone photoed by our local Baird Farm. Students and teachers in grades K-8 then planted the Peace Pole as a symbol of our community’s desire to be agents for peace pollinators spreading the message that began over 50 years ago in Japan with over 200,000 poles around the world. The school community will plant a pollinator garden around the pole with help of gardeners in the community in the spring.

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