Peace poles installed at Fox Chapel Area School District schools

Fox Chapel Area School District has a symbol of peace at each of its six schools courtesy of a community nonprofit.

The Rotary Club of Fox Chapel Area donated peace poles to the district earlier this year.

Each pole is an 8-foot monument that shows the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” in eight languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French and Hebrew.

The saying was authored by the late spiritual teacher and poet Masahisa Goi of Japan after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The poles cost about $300 each.

Rotary Club past president George Dull was at Hartwood Elementary for a pole dedication at the Indiana Township K-5 school on Oct. 22.

He said the project was part of a local effort in conjunction with Rotary International.

“There are thousands of these all over the world, and we wanted to be part of it,” Dull said. “There’s even one underwater in Aruba.”

Dull said the school district offered a lot of cooperation, noting assistance from Superintendent Mary Catherine Reljac, herself a Rotarian, and Bonnie Berzonski, district communications coordinator.

Many third graders participated in the event, including several who assisted with the ribbon cutting and delivered short speeches thanking the Rotary. Ellie McCollum was one of the student speakers.

“As third graders, we spend the year learning, through our new social studies curriculum, about communities that build a nation, landmarks and symbols, citizenship, civic engagement, and celebrating the unique qualities of our communities,” Ellie said. “The meaning of the peace pole aligns perfectly with this learning and will further enrich our classroom experiences.”

Hartwood Principal Rachel Fischbaugh said the students did an outstanding job and were very excited about the new addition.

“I think it’s fantastic,” Fischbaugh said. “I think it represents how diverse the district is and how diverse Hartwood is becoming. It sends a message of compassion and empathy and care for our school community.

”(The students) were excited when they were able to observe the peace pole after it was installed. They were excited that they were, as a third grade, able to represent Hartwood Elementary on this wonderful day.”

District officials hope the poles last for generations.

“I believe that it is a true representation of our students and our families and our communities,” Fischbaugh said. “Fox Chapel really represents purpose and care and compassion. The peace pole is a representation of all of that in our school district.”

Ronald Frank, school board vice president and Rotary Club member, was also part of the dedication at Hartwood.

“I think it’s an important message for the Rotarians to give to the schools that stresses the importance of peace on earth,” Frank said. “Peace begins with each person, with each child.”

Photos from other Fox Chapel Area schools’ peace pole dedications are available on the school district’s Facebook page.

Rotary International is a global network of more than 46,000 local clubs with 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers. They see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — in themselves, in communities, and across the globe.

There are currently more than 250,000 peace poles around the world.