By Jenna Ruthven
NNear the end of October, students of Point Loma High participated in a one-day event by leaving a handprint in paint on the construction site wall, symbolizing their support for a peaceful campus. Volunteers quickly brushed the hands of students with different colors of paint, then the students found a spot to place it, creating a sporadic array of multi-colored prints. The blank construction wall was quickly converted into a motivational canvas of student ideals with written messages protesting bullying and discrimination on our campus. This project was led by the Place for Peace committee, a new club that follows the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) program, a leading anti-hate organization. No Place for Hate was developed as an organizing framework for K-12 schools and the program’s goal is to create sustainable changes to improve school climates across the country. Our current public education system comes with an abundance of separate issues, notably discrimination and online bullying. By spreading the message of acceptance and tolerance, students gain a sense of welcomeness and become less concerned with the opinions of others and resulting in a healthier school climate.
There are more than 1,800 schools that participate annually. Middle schools and high schools are invited to participate in the Leadership Conferences, which helps kick off the year with positivity and talk about anti-defamation missions and ideas. At PL’s campus, there are about 15-20 members in the Place for Peace committee and one of its strong advocates is Carly Klinger, a junior. She notes that, “Students and teachers are working together to bring tolerance and acceptance of all people, regardless of heritage, religion, or orientation on our campus.” She, alongside the other members of the committee, hope to spread the importance of inclusion within our student body and, “hope to help break stereotypes on campus and make Point Loma High a real place for peace.”
📷
📷
📷