Pinwheels let kids express concerns

Nearly 300 pupils and faculty members at Evans Middle School participated in Pinwheels for Peace, a project in which handmade pinwheels were planted outside to promote peace and tolerance.

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The pupils and staff members decorated one side of the pinwheels and wrote messages on the other side.

Art teacher Mary Harris said it was the first time the school has taken part in the project. The initiative was started in 2005 by two Florida art teachers as a way for children to express their feelings about what was going on in the world and in their lives.

"I try to find some community service project that my students can participate in," Harris said.

The pinwheels were planted outside the school on Sept. 21, which is the International Day of Peace.

Harris said she promoted the theme of tolerance with the middle schoolers. She said she wanted them to understand the importance of trying to get along with everyone, not just their friends.

"You can't always choose who you sit next to at lunch. You can't always choose who you sit next to in a classroom," Harris said.

The pinwheels were made of paper and attached to pencils with straight pins.