Over 650 pinwheels covered the lawn at Orion Oaks Elementary School as students participated in the international project, Pinwheels for Peace.
According to Orion Oaks art teacher Brenda Pescia, Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project that was started in 2005, by two art teachers, as a way for students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world and in their lives.
‘Last year, over a million pinwheels were put up around the world, so today Orion Oaks added 650 to whatever the world put up,? Pescia said, noting that all students, kindergarten through fifth, participated.
She added that the students created the pinwheels in art class, and each pinwheel represents someone’s feelings regarding respect, responsibility, caring, justice and fairness, trustworthiness, and citizen and peace.
‘This project is non-political ? peace doesn’t necessarily have to be associated with the conflict of war, it can be related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind,? she said.
Orion Oaks studies character education traits throughout the year, and this was one the reason that Pescia felt the students would benefit from participating in the project.
‘I thought it would stimulate great conversation about students getting along with each other to start the new school year off right,? Pescia said. ‘How can we ask countries to get along if we can’t do it our homes and schools??
‘This is where peace starts,? she added.
Oaks students each placed their pinwheel on the lawn, and then gathered at the end of the day for a presentation and singing of the school song.
Principal Brian Kaplan told the students that the pinwheels can be seen from the street, and people have already called him because they have heard about the project.
‘They heard that Orion Oaks makes a difference,? he said during the presentation. ‘We’re showing the people that drive by that we make a difference. That we stand for peace, we stand for being respectful, we stand for being responsible. That we care about each other, that we take care of each other, that we make a difference.?
‘I am proud of you for this. This is a great thing to stand for,? Kaplan added. ‘We are good people here, and now all of Lake Orion that comes down Joslyn Road can see that.?
The pinwheels were left up over the weekend for the community to see.