Center for Catholic Education at UD

By Claire Riggan, PULSE Volunteer

In an effort to unite the schools that are served by ECHO in the Dayton area, ECHO is bringing together Peacemakers from different schools to collaboratively create projects to promote peace in their communities. On February 5th, Peacemakers from Mother Brunner and Holy Angels Schools gathered together at the Dayton International Peace Museum to learn more about the history of Dayton and gain inspiration for their projects.

Throughout the Peace Museum there are many different Exhibits, including the Dayton Peace Accords exhibit where students were able to learn about the war in Yugoslavia that began in 1992. In 1995, 3 warring nations came together in Dayton, Ohio in order to engage in conflict resolution. When these nations finally negotiated an agreement, it was officially named the Dayton Peace Accords. During this exhibit students had the opportunity to explore interactive kiosks with stories, music, videos, photographs, and educational maps that taught them about the tragedy of war and the hardships that are encountered when working toward achieving peace and reconciliation.

Another exhibit in the Peace Museum is dedicated to the tragedies Dayton has faced over the past year, including the Oregon District shooting, the devastating tornadoes, and the KKK rally downtown. Photographs from these events are hung around the room with each image representing a devastating loss or a glimpse of hope. The students read the captions to each image and reflected on the impact each event had on the Dayton and surrounding communities. This exhibit helped to inspire the students to take on a project that focuses on cultivating peace in areas affected by these recent, local tragedies.

After touring the Peace Museum, the Peacemakers ended their day enjoying pizza together. The students split into their project groups to create action plans and brainstorm fundraising ideas. The Peacemakers decided to raise money at their schools in order to fund the planting of trees around the Oregon District and areas affected by the 2019 tornadoes. They will be presenting this project later this spring along with six other ECHO schools. The students left the Dayton International Peace Museum inspired to make a difference in their communities and in the world!

Edited by Emma Grace Geckle.