Just like you, recent events have rocked me to the core. As humanity’s ugly underbelly is exposed with mange and open sores that continue to bleed, I’m seeking hope. For me, it lies with children. I have seen first hand that these innocents desire justice and harmony. I believe children have the power to create profound change in our world. If there is ever to be true peace, it must transcend the generations. But first they must dream of the changes they want. Here are ten creative ideas I’ve used with my students. Let’s all begin the change.
1. Make Peace Cards.
2. Make an anti-bully poster.
3. Draw cartoons dealing a bully.
4. Paint a peace sign on a paper plate.
5. Create a Love the Earth card.
6. Make a dream board.
7. Photograph someone doing a kind act.
8. Create a dance high-fiving and smiling with your buds.
9. Film a video of yourself singing a peace song.
Colby Jeffers: Change the World
10. Paint a self-portrait.
Any more ideas? Share and we’ll turn 10 to 10,000!
About Laurie: The author of The Pharaoh’s Cry, Portal Shift, Kidnapped Smile, and Dragon Sky from the fantasy series The Artania Chronicles, as well as the middle-grade Forest Secrets. Laurie Woodward co-wrote Dean and JoJo: The Dolphin Legacy. Her poetry has been published in multiple journals and anthologies and she was a collaborator on the popular anti-bullying DVD Resolutions. Bullied as a child, Laurie is now an award-winning peace consultant, poet, and blogger who helps teach children how to avoid arguments, stop bullying, and maintain healthy friendships. She writes on the Central Coast of California. More about her work can be found at artania.net
