Celebrating global peace in Big Sky

Ophir students learn about the importance of goodwill in their community, and the world

By Leslie Kilgore EBS CONTRIBUTOR

As Big Sky students at Ophir Elementary School recently returned to school to begin their new year, a special symbol now reminds them each day of what peace means, individually and to their entire student body.

Two years ago, fourth grade teacher Jonathan Gans read about an organization called The Peaceful Project, which builds and installs peace poles around the world. Now, Ophir Elementary has their own peace pole, a permanent structure that Gans says represents a beacon of inspiration for the role each of us can play in bringing peace into our own lives and in our communities.

“I think that even young people in the elementary years are conscious of strife, conflict and war in the world these days,” said Gans. “News of these conflicts is inescapable, and reminders of it are everywhere. The peace pole is especially timely right now because of the serious conflicts that are occurring all over the world.”

When Gans learned about The Peaceful Project, he approached elementary school principal, Brittany Shirley and school superintendent, Dustin Shipman, about the prospect of installing a peace pole at Ophir Elementary and combining curriculum for his students with the installation. Gans said Big Sky’s Parent Teacher Organization allocated the funds for the project and he then began implementing lessons around the meaning of peace in the world and in Big Sky.

“We had a couple of brainstorming sessions about the meaning of peace in each of our lives and the kids wrote about what peace meant to them in their own experiences,” Gans said. “I was really inspired by the variety of responses and the way nine- and 10-year-olds approached the meaning and value of peace.”

While Gans’ class focused on discussions and writing exercises that centered around the meaning of peace, the entire school also took part in a ceremony around the peace pole when Gans and other teachers asked the students to think about what peace meant to each of them and how they can implement it in their own lives, with their families, with friends, at school, in their community and beyond.

“Ophir and the whole Big Sky School district is an internationally minded program of education and international awareness,” Gans said. “Although we may not feel we can do anything to solve things everywhere, a first step is to certainly become aware of what’s occurring outside of our little community of Big Sky.”

Prior to teaching in Big Sky, Gans spent many years in the Middle East as a journalist and engulfed himself in the culture and languages of that area of the world, so he knows firsthand the complexity of current issues. He said he wants to help his students understand the importance of peaceful living and a life without war and violence and plans to do more lessons with his students on the importance of global equanimity.

“My hope is that the peace pole will be a beacon of both international mindedness and international awareness,” Gans said.  “And a reminder of the importance of hope and conscious action on all of our parts to do everything we can to promote peace in our lives.”

To view the peace pole, community members can visit Ophir Elementary where it will remain permanently at the entrance to the school.