In our Kids Creating Peace Session of January 3, 2012, there was an amazing break- through. We’ve been working with the 5th grade kids in the Vista del Monte Elementary School who’re in the ASES (After School Education and Safety) program in Palm Springs.

We asked the kids to write in their journals, over the holiday vacation, what they’d learned from KCP’s four principles:
Have Empathy
(It is What It is)
Do No Harm
Non-opposition
Responsiveness

To our delight, one after another the kids stood up and read from their journals.* Alfredo: “Because of what I learned in KCP I will never be mean to my friends again.” Rosa wrote “KCP has taught me what empathy and compassion mean.” Juliette asked if KCP was a class, and Manuel spoke up, “No, it is teaching us about life.”

Then we showed a short video. In it, a boy of 13 used flash cards to tell how he’d been bullied, ever since he was in the 2nd grade. Each card was hand-printed with a brief but heartfelt piece of his experience or feelings on it. As each card flashed into view, his expression just before, and during, showed what he was feeling – including tears, which he wiped away, then kept on going. He was scared, he said. He’d been called a lot of names – and had been since he began school. And now he was in 8th grade. At the end he wrote he’d been thinking of suicide. “But” he went on, “I have a million reasons to be here!” (This video can be viewed on the One Voice of Peace website, http://www.onevoiceofpeace.org/)

While the video played, you could have heard a pin drop. When it was done, the room was in total hush. Then someone began to cry. Rosa, sobbing, said that just that day, a group of kids had called her and her younger brother some very harsh names. We had learned from earlier sessions that this kind of thing happened all too often. Then Rosa turned towards Javier, a large boy sitting only a few feet away, and burst out, “You were one of them!” The room was silent. One could see that Javier was stunned after watching the video, and then witnessing Rosa’s feelings. Then, a miracle: Javier humbly responded, “I am really, really, really sorry. I promise to never doing that again!” With equal grace, Rosa said, “I accept your apology.” Everybody in the room heard!

This was when the room “melted”. The video, and then Rosa, gave the kids permission to share their incredible experiences. One child after another shared their tear-filled stories of being bullied, and far too many stories of loss of loved ones from accident, drugs, violence and suicide. Another student, (Manuel) his cousin took his life recently and Lucia’s best friend hung herself over the holidays. (yes, at such an early age!)

Our KCP facilitators assisted the children. Yet, the most beautiful part was how the children went to each other’s aid, demonstrating the gifts of empathy and compassion, a main cornerstone of KCP’s message. It was a moment of grace in action. It felt like the veneer of each child’s wall cracked and fell away. They felt safe enough to expose themselves, and for doing so, received recognition and understanding, not only from the adults, but especially from their peers.

KCP’s main facilitator, Isaiah, was filled with compassion for the kids, and joy at their sharing — as we all were. A few boys saw tears on his face. Manuel asked, “Isaiah, are you crying?” Isaiah smiled and said “Yes.” Three of the boys reached over and threw their arms around Isaiah in a group hug of compassion.

At the closing, KCP offered a game asking each child to write on a piece of paper what it is they would like to do to create a better world. Papers were collected, crumbled and dropped in a box labeled “Pop Tarts.” One child at a time came up, pulled out a paper, and read it aloud. Kids were asked to guess who wrote it, from “the feel” of what the writer said. And they wrote some amazing things! They had a great time guessing, showing how underneath that old veneer, they recognized themselves and their peers, and thought highly of each other. When a writer was found, we all clapped. 
We have that box, stored in a locked cabinet in the room where we hold our Sessions.  The ones we heard are huge testimonies to how bright, eloquent, and heart-based these kids are. And *so* open, now.

We were told that the next school day, all of the kids ran up to an ASES** teacher, over-flowing with how wonderful the Session was, and that they “loved” us. Most likely these kids are not often recognized for the beautiful beings they are or offered understanding and compassion. The ASES** teachers had reported to KCP that these 5th graders had been the most problematic of all the kids. We’d noticed their energy when we began the KCP Sessions. Now we of KCP hear that their behavior has visibly changed for the better.

We could not really know how many of the kids KCP was reaching. It was obvious a few of them kids were getting our message. That day showed us that each and every child was a recipient of greater self esteem, and felt safe to express who they are and how they feel. KCP’s motto – we do not teach the child, we reach the child – was evident.

* Kids’ given names have been changed, to respect their privacy
** ASES – (After School Education & Safety) program in which KCP is a segment.

Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script — give students video lectures to watch at home, and do “homework” in the classroom with the teacher available to help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFEUsudhfs

At our second Session with the KCP kids, we were delighted to introduce Carol Lang
as one of those who will assist them in learning the Core Principle for Living in Peace.
Those of us who’ve been working to start bringing these Principles to young people are delighted!

Carol is a woman of rich and recent experience in working with young children.
She retired only last year from 25 years of teaching in elementary school, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
She is still eager to work with children, so it’s a perfect match.

In addition to her classroom experience, Carol contributes a life-long interest in the arts.
She’s taken dance and theater classes, as well as performed in several small companies.

These are welcome talents that will support the KCP kids in learning how to use role-playing
and movement to see how using the principles in their daily lives can bring difficult or stressful situations to peaceful outcomes.

Carol, a new resident of the Coachella Valley, says her two grown children, now living in California, inspired her recent move from the Midwest. She is involved also in the Cathedral City Rotary Club, and takes both Tai Chi and yoga classes.

We welcome Carol’s balance of playfulness with the children and her ability to organize them.

With her guidance, they are focused and open to learning the skills and understanding to create lives of peace.

Dear Isaiah and Elena,

It was about time for us to contribute to your project (the only way for the moment).

I took the time to read about OVP on your website. I got a better understanding of how important it is to bring all this to the younger ones who are our future.
As visionaries and through OVP you are planting the seeds of the New World in them. Great task ! Continue, and wish you great success.

Must also tell you my great admiration I have for the courageous young ones who started the movement Occupy Wallstreet and now for the thousands of all ages
and background who are joining in all America and now the world (Its slowly sprouting in Switzerland…).
I knew from the beginning that this movement is It, because when the masses awaken in America it will be “unstoppable” and with the time might become a “tsunami”….
There will be challenges, yes, but as it is time to manifest Heaven on Earth, it can only succeed, and the Universe is on our side….Yeeeaaa !

Great to be a part of All, to share your Vision and be more and more immersed in this oneness consciousness.

My Love to you and OVP team

Dominic (and from Mariann who is in Germany)

PS) please keep us informed about OVP

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. — Kids and teens all over the world often experience some type of bullying. They can be the victim or sometimes the bully. The number of teens who commit suicide has increased in the past few years and unfortunately bullying can be a problem that kids often face. But some Coachella Valley students are trying to fight the problem by sharing their experiences and making their voices heard.

With the help of their school counselors, a group of students visit other valley schools and share their experiences to prevent bullying from happening. “One out of every three kids is bullied every day, and it’s not necessarily physical bullying, but, I mean, it’s the verbal, it’s the talking bad about someone, talking behind someone’s back,” said Kai Lyles, intervention counselor at Desert Hot Springs High School.

The problem is often overlooked by adults because they think it will just blow over. Cyberbullying is becoming a bigger problem because of social media and its ability to reach so many people. Being gay or lesbian or being a different race, even speaking different languages can all be factors bullies use to target their victims.  Lyles added: “If they don’t have that support system at home or here at the school, those are the kids that are going to look to suicide as that final escape to get away from all the bullying that they may have encountered here at school or at home.”

Bullying often starts in elementary school where everything is new and can impact a child growing up. Some kids who are bullied can also become bullies themselves, but when popular shows like “Glee” tackle bullying, it can give hope and help for teens to speak up.

“If you keep telling them, then they’re gonna finally notice that, ‘Maybe she’s right. You know, maybe something is happening that we’re not seeing,’ ” said Stephanie Metoyer, senior at Desert Hot Springs High School.

Courtney Cabansag is a junior and said she has also been bullied, and it hasn’t stopped.

“I had ‘bystanded’ to bullying before to one of my friends, which made it OK for me to be targeted by the group of friends I was with, and it just escalated from there,” said Cabansag.

Through the anti-bullying program at their high school, Cabansag and her peers have helped prevent more abuse. The program started last year and the group of students visits other schools to share their experiences.

Junior Matthew Meyer explained: “You’re getting up in front of other high schoolers sometimes upper classmen of you and you’re admitting what you have done or people have done to you in the past, and it’s usually an emotional or traumatic experience and that’s the reason why we are doing it, because we know other people don’t want to do it.”
In some cases bullying can lead to depression and even suicide. Speaking up helped these students gain confidence and help others. Last year, the program at Desert Hot Springs High School had 30 students who were trained by the Riverside County suicide prevention agency to talk to their peers about suicide prevention, anti-bullying and other problems they can face.

Article from KESQ-TV, Palm Desert submitted by Marko Milbourne

Be for-warned…This is NOT a fun video! (It is definitely informative!) And Gordon is who he is. However, we are posting this expose`, because we feel all creatures deserve respect, love and a peaceful existence….. Please re-post to your network if you are inspired to do so…. Mahalo….\o/

Gordon Ramsay: Stop Killing Sharks for Fin Soup!

Being a child who grew up feeling like I didn’t fit in for many reasons, joining the team of One Voice of Peace has been a great movement in my life.

Children who bully often face issues and feelings of insecurity. If kids could just realize they are unique in their own special way and learned to embrace the differences of others, they might realize how much easier life is to only managed themselves and feel secure area

Once I identified with my love of music and focused on that, I gain the respect of my fellow classmates. They saw not only was I comfortable in my skin, but also very successful in my high school years.

I am now a national award — winning vocalist and am writing inspirational music that generates guiding messages not only to our youth but to all people.

I ask kids to remember: It’s easier to let down the walls and be true to who you are than fight to keep them up in protection from your fears.

Thanks to you all for passing this message on to our youth as well as their parents, as they are the leaders of our tomorrow.

If you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because they don’t have many friends or because they are shy or not is pretty or not dressed in the most quotes in “high or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside of school. Your kindness might just make a big difference in someone’s life!

Marko Milbourne of Palm Springs is a Web designer and volunteer for Kids Creating Peace. Visit his website www.theserenader.com or e-mail him at marko@m2mediadesigns.com

Kids Creating Peace

To join Kids Creating Peace,
contact Elena Chvany,
director of One Voice of Peace,
visit www.onevoiceofpeace.org
or call phone number 760-202 — 2330

Music video by Emmanuel Jal featuring Alicia Keys, George Clooney and Peter Gabriel performing We Want Peace. (C) 2010 Gatwitch LTD

Special request to all kids returning to school in the next few weeks. If you see someone who is struggling to make friends or being bullied because they don’t have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most “in” clothes, PLEASE step up. Say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. You never know what that person might be facing outside of school. Your kindness might just make a BIG difference in someone’s life!! ~ Help stop the Bullying by reposting

No person would ever have (or will ever) do harm, (or even think of doing harm) to another living being (including themselves), if they possessed full and complete understanding, emotional and psychological stability. The knowledge of ‘right or wrong’ may not be enough, due to past or present emotional or psychological trauma.