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Community Corner

'Take My Hand, Coronado' Week, Peacemaker Awards Promote Respect

The annual event encourages peaceful human relations in schools and the community.

The Coronado Human Relations Commission (CHRC) kicks off their annual "Take My Hand, Coronado" school activities week, April 11-15, with events and school-based programming that promotes peace and respect among students and our community.

The CHRC was established in 2001 when a group of concerned citizens presented the idea to the Coronado in the aftermath of the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO.  Today the commission has 25 members of adults and students.

Their mission is “to promote respect, understanding and the peaceful resolution of conflict among and between youth and adults in the community of Coronado.”  

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The CHRC is entering its second decade with community-wide support evidenced by a month of activities that culminates with the Peacemaker Awards. This event honors seven citizens  "who modeled peaceful communication and the peaceful resolution of conflict."

This year's ceremony will be held on Tuesday, with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the awards program from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Nautilus Room at the . The public is invited and encouraged to attend. 

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“Tuesday night’s Peacemaker Awards Ceremony is everyone’s event,” said Carole Tessicini, CHRC Board of Directors Chair. “It is not just for the students and adults involved. We would like to expand the field of Peacemaker nominations to include more members of the public at large–the grocer, the gardener, the candlestick maker! The only way we can do that is if people experience this (event) for themselves and understand that we all know a peacemaker we want to honor.”

For those who didn’t have a chance to see at Coronado High School, there will be a special performance from the play at the ceremony as well.

This year's honorees are:

  • Young Peacemaker Award, Aspen Thompson
  • The James Richard Shirey, Jr. Memorial Peacemaker Award, Joey Langerman
  • Coronado Chamber of Commerce Peacemaker Award, Susan Ahern
  • The Rotary Club of Coronado Peacemaker Award, Ed Chapman
  • Sybil Stockdale Peacemaker Award, Kami Mayer
  • Community Peacemaker Award, Kevin Nicolls 
  • The CHRC Peacemaker Award, Jenny Moore

The winner of the yearly poster contest held among all Coronado schools, along with Mayor Casey Tanaka’s proclamation, was recognized at an awards ceremony March 15. The image representing this year's celebration of peace can be seen at businesses around town displaying the poster in support of this campaign.

Also, children from several local schools participated in a community flower-planting activity headed by Stacy Berman, programs director for the city's Recreation Department, and Ricardo Fernandez, Coronado parks supervisor.

A few of the upcoming school activities this week:

  • and schools will incorporate lessons and activities around the Character Counts traits, bullying and tolerance.
  • At , children will be asked to reflect on five virtues: love, faith, hope, integrity, wisdom, self-control and perseverance. They will consider how these virtues "help them be a reflection of God’s love to others, rather than condoning or entering into bullying behaviors," headmistress Nancy Roberts said.
  • At , the Art of Giving Club and ASB are planning a “Quad Picnic” day on Thursday with beach blankets, music, special food from local vendors and a BBQ pit in an effort to keep students on campus to promote unity. “Happy Grams” can be sent by students and staff members to one another, and Assistant Vice-Principal Jenny Moore said the CHS robot "might join in the fun using its capabilities to distribute inspirational messages." Students are also including technology and will try to declare a day for “positive texts, tweets and updates.”

All students are encouraged to participate in these activities!

For more information about this community-wide effort, please visit the CHRC website.

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