Planting Messages and a Symbol of Peace in Honor of Dr. King

To honor the memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., students and staff at Landing Elementary School gathered on the school’s front lawn for the planting of a “Peace Tree.”

Students wrote down on paper their thoughts for peace and how they can help make peace grow.  Each student completed the sentence, “Peace grows by…” (adding their own ideas for peace).  
    
As each student dropped their messages into the hole dug for the tree, each shoveled a little dirt over the paper. Once each class dropped their paper into the hole, the maple Peace Tree was planted, in hopes that all of their wishes, hopes, and ideas for peace will grow through the roots of the tree.  The tree will serve as a constant and ongoing reminder of Dr. King’s legacy and that peace can begin with the children. 

Landing Principal Dimitri Kryoneris donated the Peace Tree. Prior to the planting, a brief schoolwide assembly was held in which each grade level gave a presentation about peace.

Fifth-grade teacher David Smith presided over the assembly and gave some brief trivia about Dr. King, including how his original name was Michael and that both he and his father renamed themselves after activist Martin Luther. Another interesting fact: Martin Luther King, Jr. began attending Morehouse College at the early age of 15.