Peace One Day: Awareness on Universal Struggles
On September 18th, 2015 Commonwealth Parkville School celebrated their annual Peace One Day. This year, the goal of Peace One Day was to raise awareness for topics typically ignored by a vast majority of the population.
Student Council President, Paola Jiménez, said, “The original goal was to promote peace in our school. They [CPS Administration] would join the Parkville students, Commonwealth students, and the school infront [Eleanor Roosevelt], which is a public school, and bring them together to promote peace throughout the three school, which eliminates any type of classism or racism that might exist between these three schools. And this is just a reflection of how, as Commonwealth, we don’t want to promote any racism or classism anywhere.”
The day began with the student body forming a peace sign in the field behind the school as Principal Dina Rechani, English Teacher Francis Díaz, and Paola Jiménez gave speeches. The activities continued with the Dance Team performing a number on domestic violence. Captain Regina Marrero performed a solo with fellow student, Joseph Spir, and Dance Team member, David San Miguel. Marrero began the solo struggling to breakaway from Spir, who was dressed in all black representing her abusive father. As Marrero felt she could no longer fight back, her guardian angel, San Miguel, dressed in all white, came to help her. Together they overcame Marrero’s abusive father. To mark the end of the outdoor activities 12 doves were released while Gabriella Cerame presented the speech on their significance.
The event continued with music, provided by Commonwealth’s band, speeches, and awards in the school’s court. Inside, covering the entire floor, were blankets and pillows for the students as each award and speech were given. UNICEF representative, Anna Grimaldi Colomer, and Commonwealth History tTeacher Alexandre Cerqueira spoke to the student body on the importance of being mindful of child abuse and how the future of the world depends on our awareness. Afterwards, there were the were the announcements of the winners of the poetry competition. 10th grader Lauren Guerrero, 11th grader Isabel Zúñiga and 11th grader Ana Melero won 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place, respectively, in the English Poetry Competition. While 12th grader Joseph Spir, 11th grade Ana Melero, and 11th grader Marysol Fernández won 3rd, 2nd, and 1st place, respectively, in the Spanish Poetry Competition.
“What we did is we [Student Council] had the Spanish and English departments provide their students, grade 7-12th, with a list of different subjects following child abuse, either bullying or child trafficking [and substance abuse]. They either created their own poems or, along with Miriam Soto in the art department, they created original murals,” said by Jiménez.
The day’s festivities came to an end with the school band playing one last song, “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer. Students were led back to class reflecting on the day's events and the seriousness of the topics discussed.
“I hope people are enlightened a bit. That they have an idea that child abuse, since child abuse is a theme this year, is not [always] the stereotypical ‘I’m abused at home, my dad abandoned me, my mom abandoned me, typical that kind of violence that happens in a shelter. Child abuse can be either from the extreme of child prostitution to bullying, which happens everyday in schools in Puerto Rico,” said Jiménez.
Peace One Day Interview Questions:
Can you describe peace one day?
Peace One Day is actually an international celebration of peace. It is celebrated all over the world. Here at Commonwealth we take a day of class to celebrate obviously peace. A couple of years ago the meaning of peace one day was really lost. So, what we are doing this year is we are joining a campaign by the women’s world summit foundation and their campaign child abuse and violence against minors. So Wwhat we are doing is taking this campaign and joining it to peace one day. So bBasically everything the campaign stands for. Its themes. We are incorporating it to Peace One Day and all the funds that are raised during peace one day will be donated to this campaign.
What we did is we had the spanish and english departments provide their students, grade 7-12th, with a list of different subjects following child abuse, either bullying or child trafficking [and substance abuse]. They either created their own poems or, along with Mmiriam Ssoto in the art department, they created original murals.
How long has the school done peace one day?
As far as I know peace one day has been done for the past 10-12 years, if I’m not mistaken. But in recent years the meaning of peace one day and the way it’s been organized has lost importance and significance. That’s why we want to bring it back to how it was.
What was the original goal for Peace One Day?
If I’m not mistaken the original goal was to promote peace in our school. They would join the Pparkville students, Ccommonwealth students, and the school infront [Eleanor Roosevelt], which is a public school, and bring them together to promote peace throughout the three school which eliminates any type of classism or racism that might exist between these three schools. And this is just a reflection of how in Cas commonwealth we don’t want to promote any racism or classism anywhere.
At the end of the day what do you hope people will take away from the day’s activities?
I hope people are enlightened a bit. That they have an idea that child abuse, since child abuse is a theme this year, is not [always] the stereotypical ‘I’m abused at home, my daddy abandoned me, my mom abandoned me, typical that kind of violence that happens in a shelter. Child abuse can be either from the extreme of child prostitution to bullying which happens everyday in schools in puerto rico.
