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Students learn about global peace through pinwheels

Karlie Hammond, a Stroman Middle School student, sets out pots of Pinwheels for Peace in the school library.
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  • Erica Rodriguez •
  • Originally published September 21, 2010 at 6:57 p.m., updated October 6, 2010 at midnight

  • What is Pinwheels for Peace? Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started in 2005 by two Florida art teachers as a way for their students to express their feelings about what's going on in the world and in ...

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    • What is Pinwheels for Peace? Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started in 2005 by two Florida art teachers as a way for their students to express their feelings about what's going on in the world and in their lives. The project was quickly embraced by millions who desire peace in our world.

    Since then, the program has grown from 500,000 pinwheels planted the first year, to 3 million pinwheels last year.

    Source: pinwheelsforpeace.org

Bunches of hand-made pinwheels were scattered on library tables at Stroman Middle School on Tuesday morning.

The pinwheels were sketched full of peace signs, bright images and loving words.

"To have peace means you don't fight each other, respect each other's differences because everyone is different," said Kelly Hoff, a seventh-grade art student, as she examined her own pinwheel.

Whirled peace was the theme in art classes across the district on International Peace Day on Tuesday. The day is observed by 192 UN countries as a day to promote non-violence and peace between nations.

Pinwheels for Peace is an artistic way for students to promote and learn about peace.

"They don't recognize how important they are in solving conflict," said Judith Hauboldt, an art teacher at Stroman who spearheaded the project along with fellow art teacher, Brenda Ruschhaupt.

Across the district, art students at East High School and Cade Middle School created hundreds of peaceful pinwheels, but because of the bad weather those at Stroman were placed in the library instead of outside.

Students believe peace is an important concept in their school environment.

"Just because you hear something about someone doesn't mean you should talk about them," said Lindsey Licerio, a seventh-grader.

But the project helps the students to begin to think about peace in a global sense.

"It's really just bringing it to the forefront of their mind," Hauboldt said. "Where most of the time it's just their normal world that they're concerned about, and this is making them aware of global issues so it's sort of broadening their understanding."

Kelly plans to keep her pinwheel after it's displayed, and believes to project helped her learn about peace around the world.

"I was thinking how the world's leaders, if they could find peace, how great the world would be," she said.




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