Imagine "Whirled Peace"

Students at “planted” more than six hundred pinwheels on Wednesday, joining over 3.5 million pinwheels spinning around the world.

The event is part of an “International Day of Peace” organized by Pinwheels for Peace.

“It is wonderful when kids come together,” said Assistant Principal Gina Kraus. “This is an all-school event connecting us with the theme of peace around the world. It teaches children that they can make a difference, and it’s a heartwarming way to start the school year,” she said.

The Pinwheels for Peace project was founded in 2005 by two art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan of Coconut Creek, FL, as an international art and literacy project. Children are asked to make pinwheels and write messages of peace in order to “express their feelings about what is going on in the world.” The project’s philosophy is that peace does not have to be associated with conflict or war; it can be related to violence or intolerance in our daily lives and to peace of mind.

During a peace ceremony held on the playing fields in East Hampton Village, kindergarteners through fourth graders held up the pinwheels they had made and formed a peace sign while fifth graders spelled out the word. Music teacher Greg Butler and fifth grade teacher David Cataletto played guitar while first grade teacher Joanne Goerler led the children in a chorus of “Peace like a River.”

In her opening remarks, teacher Linda Reiser said “pinwheels remind all of us about being a child and being peaceful. Our pinwheels,” she said, “will grow with others around the world.”

The program was brought to East Hampton three years ago by bilingual first grade teacher, Irene Riva-Quinn, who, as part of the Equity in Excellence program, was looking for ways for children to become involved with the International Day of Peace.

“Pinwheels for Peace,” said Riva-Quinn, “is a way for kids to create a visual, public statement about peace. These are the kinds of activities that children remember. It is a way to incorporate our small town in the rest of the world.”

Riva-Quinn used the classroom opportunity to talk about peace, build vocabulary for words such as “generosity” and “sharing,” and discuss The Peace Book by Todd Parr.

“Children can’t stop wars, but they can grow up knowing that peace is better than making problems," she said. "It brings a sense of unity to our school. Pinwheels are symbols of innocence for children. They just take a little bit of time to make which allows for one-on-one time with individual children. It is a beautiful idea that the spinning pinwheel will spread thoughts of peace and unity throughout the world.”

“Pinwheels for Peace is one of the ways that our school demonstrates its core values,” said Joseph Sanicola, who teaches fourth grade. “This celebration of peaceful thoughts and messages written on pinwheels has allowed students of all ages to express their desire for peace.”

Linda Cameron’s fifth grade class used the occasion to discuss Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi and other prominent historical figures who contributed to peace.

When asked what “peace” meant to them, the children’s answers ranged from calmness to freedom, music to dogs.