A teacher helps kids 'Reach for Peace'

"In the late '90s, violence spread across the nation's schools, including the Columbine shootings. I teach in a high school of 3,500 children where this very thing can happen as well – on any day, at any time. Our children are emotionally uneducated and lack the tools necessary to live peacefully side-by-side in this crazy world they inherit from us. They lack a value system that once came from family and community that gave a child a sense of boundaries and of belonging.

"Reach for Peace, a club of high-school kids aged 14-18 interested in non-violence and bringing goodwill to campus, was born. A few other teachers and I were concerned about the lack of kindness, compassion, and cherishing others that was being demonstrated on a daily basis on campus in all relationships – not just student-to-student. We agreed it was time to make some change.

"We began by inviting some Tibetan monks to create a sand mandala for peace and non-violence. They came twice, accompanied by a full military honor guard, and created a Chenrezig and White Tara mandala on each occasion.

"The kids were curious, entertained, puzzled, happy, blissful and calmed by the monks. They couldn't get enough of their company and asked all kinds of crazy questions. Every student had the experience of visiting with them for at least 10 minutes. The monks ate in the cafeteria with the kids. They had the opportunity to discuss universal values with students and teachers explaining how important these are for worldwide peace and harmony..."

This article can be read in its entirety in Mandala