Read. Create. Discuss. Write. March.

Last month, on Thursday, January 22, our youngest students in PreSchool and PreKindergarten did each of those as they reflected on MLK Jr. Day of Service and January’s S.P.I.C.E. of the Month: Peace. Accompanied by colorful paper peace doves they had hand-crafted, the students participated in a Peace March through the Armat building. They traversed the hallways, sharing signs of peace and chanting “peace is powerful,” a message they had collectively chosen beforehand. Students and staff joined in as the group was visible through doorways and windows, their presence and message being seen, felt, heard, and embraced.

The march was just as meaningful for our PreSchool and PreKindergarten students as it was for the wider community. It exemplified how “even the littlest voices can help spread peace,” as Jen Sharp and Jen Johnson of PreSchool shared in their newsletter. Older members of the community were deeply impacted by the experience. “[It’s] wonderful to see the youngest marching with an important message!!! Thank you!!!” shared a middle school teacher. A lower school teacher added, “We’ve been thinking about Dr. King’s quote, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,’ which made us extra glad that you spread peace everywhere throughout our campus today!” Seeing the littlest learners march for peace sparked inspiration, joy, and gratitude among senior leaders.

Thinking. Feeling. Acting. Being.

As PreSchool and PreKindergarten students grow, they learn how to be thoughtful, how to communicate, how to emote, express, and regulate. They are learning who they are and how to be with themselves. These are some of the skills we intentionally cultivate in their classrooms, and the Peace March was a powerful reflection of that growth. The experience also helped students understand themselves in relation to the broader community.

While raising one’s voice for what is right can be empowering—and often necessary—it also requires bravery and courage. Speaking up and being seen can be incredibly difficult. The Jens shared, “After the march, the children shared words to describe how they felt, including ‘nervous,’ ‘happy,’ ‘scared,’ and ‘worried.’ When asked what made them feel those emotions, some children shared that they did not like being stared at. Other friends really enjoyed the attention and felt excited when they saw older students, faculty, and staff chanting along with us.” This reflection is incredibly important. It reminds us that walking our path can be uncomfortable; it can stretch our emotional capacities. It can open our world while also creating anxiety and fear—and that is okay.

We all have different roles to play: in our lives, in movements, in our community, and in the world. We each have gifts and a light to share. Yes, we can march. Yes, we can raise our voices. But we can also ask: Where else can we support? How else can we show up—for ourselves, for one another, and for our collective future? Our work is to continue discovering how we can best direct peace and love, and how we can be changemakers and champions of social justice every day. 

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*This Peace March was an incredible effort envisioned by teachers Jen Sharp (PreSchool) and Moira Schwartz (PreKindergarten), along with teaching assistants Jen Johnson (PreSchool) and Caelyn Price-Morgan (PreKindergarten).*