Coronado Youth Celebrate Tolerance

If you could change one thing to make the world a better place, what would it be?  This is one of many human relations questions students and adults pondered and discussed on seven Coronado campuses as they engaged in one of their favored annual events, “Take My Hand, Coronado: A Weeklong Celebration of Peace in Human Relationships”.

As has been the case each year, virtually every adult and student (over 3,500 students) on all seven school campuses in Coronado, participated in a variety of programs and activities (both on campus and in the community at large) consistent with the City’s official Proclamation inviting “…all residents of Coronado to participate in TAKE MY HAND, CORONADO and to resolve all conflicts with tolerance, peaceful communication, and greater understanding in the City of Coronado.”

It was impressive to see how, each day, each campus and often each class designed their own innovative way of highlighting, teaching, honoring and practicing the many ways that we can create and nurture tolerance in our lives - kindness, courage, respect, tolerance, generosity, forgiveness, empathy, inclusion, and the like.  The engagement and enthusiasm was electric and inspiring.

Following are a few highlights of the 2008 “Take My Hand, Coronado”:

• Of course, there was the annual 'Take My Hand, Coronado' poster contest which attracted approximately 400 entries this year.  Each was so creative and moving that the Commission chose to honor three finalists for 2008: Andrea Mora, Sacred Heart Parish School; Isabelle Salvatierra, Coronado Middle School; and Michael Laird for Coronado High School. (see right column).
  
  

• Students and teachers at Coronado High School, under the leadership of Barbara Hill (Director of the Coronado Response Group - a support center located on the CHS campus), were prolific with their activities:

  • Began each day with a quotation and the week with 'Peace Within" - Yoga on the Quad at lunchtime with Jennifer DeMarco.

  • On Tuesday, teachers were 'challenged' to share with their students "Why I chose and am proud to be an educator."

  • Students challenged themselves on Wednesday, introducing themselves to someone they did not know, of a different age/race/gender, etc., asking a list of 'reach-out' questions.  Students completing the challenge were given 'reach-out'
    t-shirts designed by art students with a message in 5 languages and the 'tree of life' on the back.

  • Members of 'Hands for the Homeless Club' conducted a fundraiser on Wednesday - making and selling 'peace medallions'.  On Thursday, they distributed paper hands to 2nd period classes for students to record what they are grateful for.  The hands were displayed in the library.

  • Students enjoyed an exhibit of student created posters themed: "Peace in Human Relationships" [Laura Hill and Julie Lance]

  • Students also enjoyed the poem, "If There is to Be Peace in the World" in their respective classes.

  • Students gathered for a school-wide assembly on Friday to hear Miko Peled and Nadir Elbanna speak about their foundation which works to bring peace between their two nations - Israel and Palestine.
    
    

• Jay Marquand, Assistant Principal at Coronado Middle School, was pleased to report activities at CMS:

  • Students journaled in their 'Pelican Way Human Relations Journal" with a different daily theme (courage, respect, empathy, etc.).  Their commitment . . . to "make at least one intentional, positive 'act of change' in my life each day".

  • Creation of a "Sea of Kindness" wall - Students filled out ocean related objects (shells, sand dollars, pelican) with 'kind' activities they each had done for someone.  All were posted in the quad for the entire week as inspiration for others.

  • Collaboration with the Coronado Recreation Department staff in structuring daily cooperative games for the students to participate in during lunch.

  • Promoting the week's events to parents through Edline, email and the web.

  • A classroom presentation/discussion in  Wednesday PE classes with the theme, "Respect One Another", about anti-bullying

  • Mix-It-Up Lunch' on Friday where students focused on discussions related to various human relations themes and getting to know 'new' people.
    
    

• Jeff Saavedra, Principal at Sacred Heart Parish School, describes just a few of his student's activities that addressed the global arena:

• 'Angels in the Dust' - a year-round program that always takes on special meaning this week.

• Students imagined themselves as various "Heads of State" and discussed how they might solve human issues.

• Sacred Heart students extended a helping hand to those less fortunate through their year-round program with Monarch School for ages 7-17 (homeless high school)

• Careful to incorporate some playtime, students also participate in cooperative games throughout the week.
  
  

• Village Elementary Lead Teacher Claudia Gallant and Silver Strand Principal, Bill Cass jointly designed their activities with Headmistress Nancy Roberts and students at Christ Church Day School following their lead, adding a few of their own projects:

  • Using Our Hands in Positive Ways – Students developed posters and t-charts of how they could use their hands in positive ways.

  • Daily journaling – reflecting on each day’s theme.

  • Take a Stand Day" where students are asked to 'take a stand' (strongly agree, strongly disagree, no position) in response to increasingly meaningful questions - from "ice cream is good" to "it's OK to gossip".

  • Make a New Friend Day

  • Cooperative games at PE

  • Village and Strand discussed past TMHC videos productions (themes included “inclusion”, “resolving conflicts”, etc.).

  • Christ Church Day School incorporated the school's weekly Wise Skills character themes with the Take My Hand Coronado.

  • Christ Church Day School also discussed how service learning projects contributed to the goals for the week.

  
  

• Thanks to the ever-creative organizational efforts of Stacy Berman, Recreation Program Supervisor for the City of Coronado, student representatives from every school gathered one day to replant flowers in the median strip of Orange Avenue to symbolize the beauty that can come from community collaboration.  Each student also planted their own "Seeds of Peace" in a cup to grow at home.
  
  

• Thursday evening, citizens of Coronado who value, model, and promote peaceful communication and the peaceful resolution of conflict were honored at the “Peacemaker Awards” ceremony.  The winners represented eight categories – Business, Community Leader, Education, Faith, Health and Human Services, Military, and Youth (two categories).  Coronado Police Chief Louis Scanlon entertained the audience as this year's master of ceremonies while Mayor Tom Smisek stood by to hand out trophies and congratulate honorees.  Deborah Schwartz presented each honoree with a Certificate of Recognition from California State Assembly Member Mary Salas, 79th Assembly District, who was unable to attend.  Student mediation teams and other student “peacemakers” were also introduced and honored for their year-round efforts.

It's a wonderfully inspiring week made possible by the tireless and quiet efforts of many.  We hope you will join us next year!