Students in Mike Quinn’s class at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee embraced the Youth Art Peace Pole Project, as it seems they do with everything they are passionate about.
As part of the project the students have been decorating a Peace Pole that will be used at Tennessee’s Youth Art Peace Pole Project event that they launched from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Legislative Plaza in Nashville. Participants are welcome to contribute messages and images of peace to the Pole sculpture during the event.
Student Thomas appreciates the opportunity “to express peace in a work of art as a group,” while Tatiana doesn’t think a tangible object should be a sign of peace. Instead, she said, people should express it because she wants “peace to prevail on earth.”
Webb’s Art teacher Mike Quinn discovered the opportunity at a national art teacher’s conference. and said: “I met Jim Dugan (founder of YAPPP) in March of 2013 during the NAEA conference in Ft. Worth, Texas” said Quinn. “He was working through the World Peace Prayer Society to grow the project. I appreciate his efforts to bring this opportunity to the students and the broader community, and am fortunate to be able to participate. ” All of us with the Youth Art Peace Pole Project are thrilled and also fortunate to have Mike Quinn and his students at The Webb School involved.
Following the Sept. 21 event, Quinn hopes to find a local public place to display Webb’s Peace Pole. It will eventually be returned to campus for display.
Tennessee’s official Youth Art Peace Pole Project was held on the Tennessee Legislative Plaza between 10 AM and 4 PM on the International Day of Peace. People from the larger community were invited to come the Plaza and create a message of Peace to apply to the Pole sculpture or simply participate by leaving your message in a comment or image. “Mark such comments by including the word “Peace” or “The Right of the Peoples to Peace” in the beginning of your comment. Even if you can’t attend with your feet you can virtually “attend” on the interactive website Webb students created for the TN YAPPP! All virtual messages of Peace received by midnight Sunday Sept. 21 will be printed and included on the Peace Pole along with those created on the plaza. This is an organic event seeded by the Peace Pole Project, so feel free to grow it by bringing your celebratory Spirit, music, love, creativity and peace filled Heart to the Plaza, the webpage, or both.”
May Peace Prevail on Earth!
The Webb School’s webpage on their Youth At Peace Pole Project can be found at: http://www.thewebbschool.com/news/detail.aspx?LinkId=4392&ModuleId=40
