The Westerville Sunrise Rotary is partnering with Westerville City Schools to promote peace throughout the buildings and among students and staff.
Through the Peace Pole project, the Sunrise Rotary is providing schools with an eight-foot pole that features the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in eight languages, many of which are spoken by Westerville students and families.
The pole serves as a symbol of a commitment to peace throughout the school and beyond, said Paul Kulik, who is chair of the Westerville Sunrise Rotary’s Peacebuilder initiative.
“The biggest part is that we wanted our community of Westerville and Westerville schools to embrace the concept of peace resolution, promoting peace within the schools, within the community, within the state and internationally.”
The Peace Pole project is an international Rotary initiative that serves as an affirmation of peace and is designed to inspire unity among people of all cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds. The Peace Poles provided by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary feature translations in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Hmong, Arabic, Braille and American Sign Language.
As part of the partnership, the Sunrise Rotary will provide the Peace Pole to schools and cover half of the $500 cost to produce them. The group has focused on bringing the poles to elementary buildings this year and will work with middle school educators next school year. Interact clubs at the high school, which are sponsored by Rotary clubs, are raising money to help cover the costs to bring a Peace Pole to their buildings.
Cherrington Elementary students and staff unveiled the school’s Peace Pole during a multicultural night for families on Wednesday, becoming the first WCSD building to house one on its school’s grounds. Cherrington’s PTA paid the matching costs for the pole.
The Peace Pole serves as a centerpiece for a garden the school’s staff plans to construct near the entrance of the building. Teachers and staff have started planning lessons and activities tied to the new monument.
School counselor and Student Council advisor Marsha Siefker plans to host a brainstorming session with her student leaders on how they can spread peace across the building.
At least six Westerville elementaries have committed to installing Peace Poles at their sites.