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September 29, 2025 –<\/strong> On September 19th, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) proudly sponsored a series of joyful, creative, and heart-filled celebrations for the International Day of Peace across our partner schools in Southern California. As part of the Domestic Harmonizer Program (DHP), these schools embraced this year\u2019s theme \u201cAct Now for a Peaceful World.\u201d From painting rocks to preparing sandwiches, from chalk art to mindful breathing, more than 2,271 students shared their unique vision of what peace looks and feels like each one adding their voice and action to a more peaceful world.<\/p>\n At\u00a0STEAM Academy at\u00a0Burke, <\/strong>50 students spun ideas into vibrant pinwheels decorated with messages about peace.\u00a0\u201cPeace is when your mind is free of fear,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0reflected one student, while another exclaimed,\u00a0\u201cThis is cool, miss! I love it.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>The pinwheels will soon whirl across campus during \u201cLunch with Your Jaguar,\u201d turning creativity into visible joy.<\/p>\n North Park Academy of the Arts\u00a0<\/strong>invited around 60 students to explore peace in three stations: painting canvases, posting heart-shaped reflections, and sending shout-outs to peers and staff.\u00a0\u201cI really liked having more than one thing to do to celebrate today, especially painting!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said one student. Another eagerly asked,\u00a0\u201cWhen are we having another event like this?!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n At\u00a0Lakeland Elementary, <\/strong>310 Lions roared for peace with mindfulness exercises, chalk art, songs, and playground messages.\u00a0\u201cI like being kind and helping others for peace<\/em>\u201d\u00a0said a first grader.\u00a0\u201cThis is so fun! Let’s think of more messages we can write to share peace with kids,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>added a fourth grader. Every student left with a \u201cpeace reminder\u201d sticker to carry calm and compassion throughout the day.<\/p>\n Jersey Avenue Elementary\u00a0<\/strong>transformed its campus into a patchwork of peace with 230 students decorating puzzle pieces, chalking peace signs, and wearing peace necklaces and bracelets.\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be kind and include everyone,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0said one student.\u00a0\u201cPeace makes the world a better place,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>shared another.<\/p>\n Across town at\u00a0Studebaker Elementary, <\/strong>nearly 300 students colored, danced, sang, and wrote kind messages during recess.\u00a0\u201cI love being able to do something other than play during recess. I like coloring with my friends and spreading kindness and peace on our campus,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>said one student.<\/p>\n At\u00a0<\/span>Lake Center Middle School<\/b>, the spirit of peace continues year-round with a new Gaming Club starting in October, where students will play WPDI-sponsored games to practice empathy, teamwork, and mindfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n Cresson Elementary<\/b>\u00a0celebrated with 235 students and 18 staff, decorating coffee cup sleeves with uplifting messages and peace signs that were shared with customers. Handmade peace flags and peace-themed outfits created a vibrant atmosphere of unity.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI hope someone reads my message and feels happy,\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0said a fourth grader, while a third grader added,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s cool that something I drew might make a stranger smile.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n At\u00a0William Orr Elementary,\u00a0<\/strong>360 students and 35 staff participated in readings and reflections about peace and received stickers to take home.\u00a0\u201cPeace is possible,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>one student shared.\u00a0\u201cPeace to me is making a good choice,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>said another.<\/p>\n Paddison Elementary\u00a0<\/strong>saw 250 students painting rocks with peaceful images in the school garden.\u00a0\u201cWhen we paint peace, we are not just decorating our rocks but bringing peace to our school. Each rock represents something special that brings joy, unity, and hope for all our school,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>said a student.<\/p>\n Meanwhile,\u00a0DNA Prep Academy\u00a0in Chatsworth<\/strong>\u00a0had about 50 students, staff, and families prepare 280 lunch bags for people in need on Skid Row, decorating sidewalks with chalk art spreading hope.\u00a0\u201cEven small acts, like making a sandwich or writing a kind note, can make a big difference,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>shared a student, seeing firsthand how kindness ripples outward.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wpdi.org\/app\/uploads\/Copy-of-IMG_7998-Brianna-Rodriguez-scaled.jpg\")
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