Elementary School Students In Mesa, AZ, Hold Peace Rally!

[maggiegault]

This is a really cool story. And a child shall lead them.

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http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0420mr-sendas0420-ON.html

JJ Hensley
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 20, 2007 01:25 PM

Las Sendas Elementary sixth-grader Michelle Marco saw two options when her school was tagged with graffiti last week that threatened violence against the school and its staff members - stay home or fight back.

She chose the latter and organized a peace rally that ultimately involved most of the Las Sendas student body creating picket signs and marching around the school's quad on Friday morning, the day these violent acts were supposed to occur.

After Michelle pitched the idea to school administrators, students got on board, and spent time this week that's typically devoted to recess creating peaceful picket signs.

"Since the threat, a lot of the students and their parents have been afraid to come to school," Michelle said. "We wanted to make this a positive thing, to promote peace, not violence."

Dan Marco couldn't have been more pleased of his 11-year-old daughter Friday morning as he watched more than 100 students marching in a movement that Michelle started.

"It's the darndest thing, but I don't think a child today can go more than 24 hours without seeing an image of violence." Marco said. "I don't think anyone was expecting this, though. It's an extremely proud moment for me. We were worried that nothing was going to happen."

Michelle got some of her inspiration from an anti-war rally she attended with her father in downtown Phoenix.

"She's our little hippy," Marco said. "She takes after mom and dad."

But Friday's rally was nothing more than a non-partisan call for peace.

Students who are a decade or more from casting a vote got involved.

"It was awesome, this was a huge turnout," said Thomas Ferrier, a 12-year-old sixth grader at Las Sendas. "We only expected, like, 20 or 30 kids, but pretty much the whole school came out."

Michelle's father thought there was a message adults could come away with, too.

"Maybe it takes kids sometimes to remind us of what's important," Marco said.

[shaniqua6392]

1. That is so awesome!!

It gives me hope for the future. I make sure my kids go to anti war rallies whenever we have a chance.

[AZBlue]

2. That's so fabulous!

K&R