Town Creek Elementary dedicates Peace Pole to promote safety at school

WINNABOW—Town Creek Elementary students have pledged to make their school safer, and kinder.

Photo by Brian Slattery

Town Creek students receive a bookmark during the Peace Pole dedication that included a pledge. Students held the bookmakers high above their heads while reciting the pledge with teachers and administrators.

Stella Tucker, parent and community involvement coordinator at Town Creek, said during the current school year students are participating in the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee’s Project: Do Something, which encourages activities in keeping with the philosophies and principles of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We tried to find something to involve all the students school-wide, that would be permanent so all the students could see it,” Tucker said.

The administration decided to install a Peace Pole at the school’s entrance.

“We talk to the students about performing acts of kindness,” Tucker said.

In their search for a program that would epitomize their focus on acts of kindness, Tucker discovered the Peace Pole project.

A Peace Pole is a four-sided monument that displays messages of peace, which can be personalized for each pole.

Town Creek chose to have “May Peace Prevail on Earth” printed in English and Spanish—Que la paz prevalezca en la tierra–on two sides of its Peace Pole.

“May Peace be in our Hearts” and “May Peace be in our Communities” is on the other two sides.

On Friday, Feb. 15, which was National Acts of Kindness Day, the entire student body, almost 500 students, attended the Peace Pole dedication.

“When we dedicate the Peace Pole it will serve as a display that Town Creek is a kind, peaceful and bully-free school that provides a safe and interactive learning environment for all who enter,” Tucker said. “We plan to incorporate it all through the school year.” 

Tucker told the assembly their teachers have been sharing with her all the acts of kindness they witnessed students performing throughout the school year.

She recognized several students for the efforts to help others.

Every student received a bookmark during the assembly that included a pledge, which Tucker led the students, teachers and administrators in reciting:

“I pledge to use my words to speak in a kind way. I pledge to help others as I go throughout my day.

“I pledge to care for our earth with my healing heart and hands. I pledge to respect people in each and every land.

“I pledge to join together as we unite the big and small. I pledge to do my part to create peace for one and all.”

Then all the students lifted their bookmarks high above their heads and said, “As a Town Creek Gator and future leader of my community, this is my pledge.”

Brian Slattery is a staff writer for The Brunswick Beacon. Reach him at 754-6890 or bslattery@brunswickbeacon.com.