PThe Pebbles for Peace project has allowed the students to see the global impact of this project. The simple act of collecting pebbles has moved people from around the world to share such personal, heartfelt stories while sending pebbles to be a part of the collection. Students mark a map in the school each time a pebble from a new city or town arrives.
The students have also come to have a deeper understanding of the cost of hatred and intolerance. As people have opened their hearts in letters that accompany the pebbles, the students have learned more about the lasting impact on families. They have moved beyond the facts and figures to grasp an understanding of the human cost of this history. Through this learning, they have also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of respect, compassion and kindness.
The school’s library of books about the Holocaust continues to grow along with their connection to survivors. Holocaust survivors from Dachau, Auschwitz, and Stutthof (among other camps) have all visited Goodwin Learning Centre to tell their stories and to commend the students on this tremendous project which they have embarked upon.
As the collection of pebbles grows, the students are gaining a better understanding of the enormity of the tragedy. Some of the pebbles have been kept in cases inside the school including pebbles that have been sent from different concentration camps, pebbles from authors, or special guests that have visited the school. The majority of the pebbles are kept in an extension to the current peace garden.
Initial plans are currently underway to design a children’s memorial in the school’s peace garden. The memorial will feature 1.5 million pebbles to honour the Jewish children murdered in the Holocaust. A second stage to the project will follow where the remaining 4.5 million pebbles will be used to also extend the peace garden.
Currently, the collection of pebbles has reached 5,400,000. If you would like to send a pebble to help reach the goal of 6 million you can send to: Pebbles for Peace, 149 English Settlement Road, Trenton, Ontario, K8V5P7, Canada.