As part of the kick-off to the Southern Poverty Law Center's [2] 40th anniversary festivities, second grade students from Notre Dame Elementary in Portsmouth, Ohio, offered congratulations and insight into just how simple it could be to change our world.
Via a Skype connection, the class's 18-member choir sang a song to SPLC staff members from the Teaching Tolerance songbook, I Will Be Your Friend. "It could be a wonderful world … if there were no poor … and each of us knew what true brotherhood was."
After the song, each second grader explained what they've done to help someone else.
"I put my arm around a kindergartner," said one. "Whenever someone needed a pencil," said another, "I gave them one of mine." One student escorted a sick friend to the school nurse.
Each act of kindness was simple and beautiful.
Our thanks to their teacher, Mrs. Dengel, who said she wants to create peacemakers and "a positive atmosphere at school."
Best wishes to her and all teachers like her. It was a great way to start off this special event for SPLC.
Williamson is associate editor of Teaching Tolerance.
Links:
[1] http://www.tolerance.org/author/lisa-ann-williamson
[2] http://www.splcenter.org