Photos by clare jensen
PRESENCE OF PEACE. Bryant Montessori school dedicated its new peace pole and garden Nov. 14, as the school became the city’s first international peace site recognized by World Citizen Inc. The pole, shown above, repeats the phrase “may peace prevail on earth” in 12 languages on its six sides.
As Tacoma School District’s only Montessori, it is no surprise that Bryant Elementary and Middle School has embraced peace as it does.
Education pioneer Maria Montessori believed strongly that peace starts with educating children, so Bryant has been sending the message of peace to its students through “Peace Tables” in each room, a school-wide student-led Peace Committee, and through the pictures of peace adorning the halls.
Now, it is also Tacoma’s first International Peace Site, home to a garden and multi-lingual peace pole advocating for “peace to prevail on earth.”
But Bryant has not always been an icon of peace. As it is located in a historically “bad part of town” plagued with violence and crime for many years, the transformation has been gradual, and it is now undeniable to all who pass by the pole installed in front of Bryant’s main entrance on South Grant Street.
Ausma Muizneiks has lived across the street from the school for more than 50 years. She has seen the ups and downs of the Bryant neighborhood.
Today, she is pleased with what she sees.
“I’m really proud of this neighborhood,” she said Nov. 14 at the unveiling of the school’s peace pole and garden.
A line of students carrying handmade paper doves, and signs reading “peace” “love” “care” and “hope,” paraded around the building that afternoon to live music ranging from a Scottish bagpipe to a bellowing Australian didgeridoo, symbolizing the students’ and school’s commitment to peaceful and diverse relationships.
“We are committing to protecting the environment…celebrating diversity… seeking peace...and reaching out in service,” said parent Kim Ebert-Colella, who coordinated the event.
Inside the building, students read poetic phrases regarding what peace means on personal, individual and global levels. Parents, teachers and community members joined in song, creating a nearly tangible aura of peace in the auditorium as they celebrated the new addition to their front yard.
Members of the student-led Peace Committee said the idea for the pole came up when they heard about Peace Sites from students from another school they met at a leadership camp.
Money was raised last year at a Disco Party For Peace. The majority of the funds were used to promote peace overseas. More than $10,000 was sent to warring countries in the Middle East and Africa.
The remaining $3,200 was used to officially send the school into the International Peace community – a fitting purchase for a neighborhood that is working to create peace at home and abroad at the same time.
“Just last fall there was a man murdered in front of the school,” Ebert-Colella said. “This is a school that’s been in the midst of it (violence)… so it’s really exciting that this school is coming together” and creating a model of peace.
Tess Bentley, an 8th-grade student at Bryant, is in her last year at the Montessori. As a member of the Peace Committee, Bentley and other members played an integral part in creating an International Peace Site at the school.
“It’s nice to be a part of this,” she said. “This is a really big step for this area and this school.”
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