Young Ambassadors Cultivate Peace

Author: Daphne Draa, Beth Riley, and Paula Fischer

The Center for Inquiry (CFI) is a public school located in downtown Indianapolis. CFI moved to this campus in 2000 and we started a beautification project almost immediately, with the goal of making our grounds an educational and inviting area for the surrounding community. In collaboration with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) and Young Audiences, we have created a wonderful peace garden.

The area is defined by art, community spaces, and gardens. Students participate in a garden club that meets during the day; this group maintains the gardens. Teachers and master gardeners Paula Fischer and Beth Riley are the club leaders, and they work in collaboration with KIB. Under the leadership of Dave Damin, a long time CFI friend, they have written grants that have brought us trees, plants, mulch, and planters. In addition to the campus garden, they also maintain a community lot in the neighborhood.

The teachers often use the gardens as a laboratory. Students learn first hand ecological concepts, such as the interdependence of living things and limiting factors. They also learn about the functions of various plant parts and the plant life cycles. The K/1 students have planted and harvest a sunflower garden that lines the north fence, brightening our boundary and inviting people in. The garden provides ample opportunity for the students to learn, share, and develop an enjoyable life skill.

The campus beautification did not stop with plants and trees. Art teacher Daphne Draa inspired the addition of peace sculptures to our gardens. With support from project partner Young Audiences, a nonprofit arts education organization, CFI students and their parents created the sculptures. Now these sculptures bearing symbols of peace from around the world surround the school. On each the word peace or its eqivalent is written in a different culture's language. The centerpiece of the sculptures is a Tibetan inspired mandala. The CFI campus now includes an amphitheater, a playground, a butterfly garden, sculptures, and several quiet, reflective, shady spots.

The gardens have brightened the campus and add an inviting space in an urban setting. Birds, butterflies, students, and neighbors enjoy it. It gives our school a quiet sense of dignity among the hustle and bustle of the downtown. It serves as a reminder that peace comes from within and must be nurtured daily.

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