CedarBridge Academy Holds Peace Assembly
CedarBridge Academy held their International Day of Peace assembly a few weeks ago, allowing students past and present to touch on issues of war and its effects on humanity.
Former CedarBridge Academy student Ms. Vanessa Bean was the guest speaker for the International Day of Peace. The focus of her speech was the “Five Impacts of War,” based on the experiences she has had during her worldwide travels.
Ms. Bean, who currently works at OBM Architecture and Design firm in Hamilton, spoke on her firsthand experiences about the impact that war has on the environment, food and water, animals, and women and children.
Ms. Bean explained how each facet of war has a dramatic impact on each of us, even though we live in Bermuda. She included in her presentation an interactive activity in which she used two female students to drive the point home about how these five aspects of war affect women in general, btoh here in Bermuda and around the world.
She also highlighted how the violence on our doorstep does the same, referencing significant data which emphasized the number of shootings, deaths and the number of fatherless children left behind.
At the end of the presentation she encouraged students with a quote: “It is learning to respect ourselves, each other and the planet we share. And it begins with each of us, one day at a time.”
At the end of the presentation, Head Girl, Rodneyka Brown Edwards-Freeman, gave Ms. Bean, along with specials thanks, a token of the school’s appreciation.
As the student with the most senior position at CedarBridge Academy, Ms. Rodneyka Brown Edwards-Freeman, opened the International Day of Peace at CedarBridge Academy assembly with a welcome for all the staff and senior school students who attended. Ms. Rodneyka also led the student body with a special prayer of Intercession for Peace.
The Head Boy, JD Symonds, then gave a Statement of Purpose which related to the global intent for this special day.
Deputy Head Girl Naimah Frith, spoke about, “A Culture of Peace,” with an introduction of a quote from Elise Boulding which says, “a culture of peace is a culture that promotes peaceable diversity involving constant shaping and reshaping of understandings, situations, and behaviors to sustain well-being for all.”
Additional information was shared by Deputy Head Boy Jaquan Hatherly, detailing how WHO [World Health Organization] and the General Assembly proclaimed September 21 every year would be the International Day of Peace.
Ms. Melanie Burrows, Safety and Health Coordinator at CedarBridge Academy, shared a presentation about the significance of this special day around the world and how it is celebrated.
The S1 and S2 students were involved in their advisory groups where they also participated in special activities and discussions to commemorate the Day of Peace. At the end of their session, each advisory completed a Dove of Peace expressing their personal wish for peace in Bermuda. The Doves of Peace are now on display as a Cedarbridge Academy Peace Mural in the main foyer of the school.
In February 2011, CedarBridge Academy became a member of Peaceful Schools International [PSI]. Peace-themed activities take place at the school each month throughout the year. The school has been designated a neutral zone and must remain som with full support from the entire CedarBridge Academy family, including students, stuff, parents, and community partners.
To continuously promote their Peaceful School membership, the school proudly flies its official flag every day. The school continues to celebrate its commitment to being a positive, peaceful facility that encourages and promotes ideas and programs for positive change. Their theme continues to be to strive to promote conflict resolution through non-violence and peaceful means.
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