Seattle Press on Line - Elementary Students Reach Out for Peace

Teacher Ted

Elementary Students Reach Out for Peace

By Ted Lockery

Jun 06, 2002 -- Sometimes there is no better remedy for pain, fear, and isolation than a song. And nobody knows this better than children--children whose tears are solaced, everyday and in every culture of this world, with the soothing touch of a melody.

When elementary school students in Mary K McNeill's music and dance classes contemplated the hatred and suffering surrounding September 11th, at home, in Afghanistan, and throughout the globe, they were moved to write a song, "We Are Children of Peace." Little did these students know that they would eventually learn to sing this song, expressing what they want children all over the world to know about them--that they, too, are children of love, friendship, and compassion--in Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Hebrew, and Spanish. Nor did they realize that they would initiate a global exchange of good will and peace through "pen pal recordings" of this affirming song.

In what McNeill refers to as "a new way for children to communicate with each other," recordings of this multi-lingual piece will be sent, complete with tape recorders and batteries, to children around the world to learn and to amend with their own lyrics, in their own languages.

"I realized that this song could be a living song--a changing song," says McNeill. "This can be a way for children to see who we all are; to get to know each other."
On Saturday, June 15th, students from Alternative Elementary II (AEII), COHO Elementary, Fremont Community School, Olympic View Elementary, and singers from the Pacific Children's Choir will premier "We Are Children of Peace" at a public, participatory event, "A Children's Gathering for Peace." The event, starting at 2 p.m., will take place at the Mural Amphitheatre and enjoy the accompaniment of Ghanaian drummer, Kofi Agang. People of all ages are invited to take part in a program that will include folk songs, international songs of peace, and circle dances.

Plans are already afoot to reconvene the Children's Gathering for Peace a year from now, with a global compilation of "We Are Children of Peace" providing the focal point for simultaneous singing around the world in a borderless proclamation of peace and dignity over war.

"Joined together in song, children have the most powerful voice in the world today," says McNeill. "Their voice should be heard. As they learn each other's songs the children can grow up to be friends rather than enemies."

Ted Lockery teaches at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle's north end. He can be contacted by e-mail at teacherted@seattlepress.com.

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