Committed to Radiant Peace

Table of Contents

First Place National Winning Essay

My commitment to world peace begins at home by not causing trouble and getting into fights with my brother. I try to do my chores cheerfully, and try not to complain when somebody else gets to do something I'm not allowed to do. Sometimes I really want to tell my parents that some people get to do things more than me, like watch T.V. or stay up late. Maybe just doing it in my family will not help, but if you and all your relatives and friends, and their relatives and friends, and their relatives and friends, and so on and so forth, try to peaceful to one another, soon the world will start to be a more peaceful place.

Another place my commitment to world peace begins is in my school, where I try to be peaceful to all the people I meet daily. I try not to cause fights because, when people fight, the one who loses will gradually get more and more angry toward the winner of the fight and that's pretty much how wars are started. If I'm not peaceful, maybe people will see me and decide, "Why be peaceful if she's not going to be?"

Another place my commitment to world peace shows itself is in my community. I'm a peaceful person who doesn't start fights, even though sometimes I want to. I don't because I would cause a lot of trouble for everyone around me. When I think about it afterwards I'm glad that I didn't try to get into a fight.

I hope there will be a lot more places in the world where my commitment to world peace will show itself, but now I have to be content with being peaceful at home, school, and my community.

Julia Cohen, Fifth Grade
North Beach Elementary School, Miami, FL
Teacher: Ms. Montaigne

Second Place National Winning Essay

The purpose of this essay is to show how I can practice world peace. Until I heard about this contest I really never thought about what I can do as a ten-year-old child to promote world peace.

What can I do to help?

One thing I can do to help is to see what is going on in the world by watching the news, reading newspapers, books and looking at pictures.

Another idea is to think about what I can learn from studying history. Wars, civil rights, peace movement and different kinds of governments could be a lesson on how to promote world peace today.

I can start thinking about my role in daily life. How do I get along with my friends and family? Can the way I treat people and the way I am treated be a lesson on how to live a peaceful life?

How I feel is probably the key to my role in world peace. Am I a good person? Am I fair with myself and others? I have a feeling this is the key to my role and my commitment.

These ideas can get me started. World Peace is important and my part will become cleared as I learn more about it. After all, I guess I am thinking about the future of this planet.

Lauren Belle, Fifth Grade
Parkview Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
Teacher: Ms. Jeanpierre

Third Place National Winning Essay

(Tie)

I think peace can mean many different things. Peace to me means: no more hunger in all countries, having harmony with other people, and togetherness all around the world.

I can keep peace in my house by: sharing with my brothers and sisters, by doing things that I'm told, and by being kind and good. If everyone in my family would do these things, then we would have peace in my house.

I can have peace in my school by: helping my friends when they need it, behaving for all my teachers, and by doing what I'm told. If everyone in the school did these things, then we would have peace in our school.

Most of all, I keep peace in my community by: helping the Humane Society, visiting nursing homes because many are lonely, and giving food and money to the poor to help prevent hunger.

A lot of people should try o have peace because... no one would be happy if we didn't, and life would be more pleasant if we did.

Some things that remind me of peace are: classical music, the soaring Eagle and the cooing Dove, harmony with others, and quietness.

Peace is such an important thing that everyone should include it in their lives. If we start peace in our homes, we will bring it into our community, and this will spread throughout our world.

Joani Counts, Fifth Grade
Hearn Elementary School, Frankfort, KY
Teacher: Ms. Barnes

and

World Peace can be achieved through many different ways. In many ways my commitment is very small, compared to what the leaders of nations could quickly do to maintain world peace.

They could stop making nuclear weapons, saving our trees from being wasted, cleaning the air we breathe and stop polluting the oceans. These things they could do, but most important they could just start by simply respecting each other's beliefs, customs, race, color and religion.

My commitment, although small might contribute to something big together with other commitments of the children of the world. I should start in my house. I can help my parents, think before getting upset with my brother and sister, be kind to the pets and other animals, enjoy and respect all the beautiful things that God and nature have given us.

I can also take advantage of the fact that I live in the most wonderful country in the world, where education is a right and learn as much as I can. Maybe someday I can help others learn and better themselves because I would love to be a teacher.

In my school and my community, I can be a friend to whoever wants my friendship and love everybody in this world.

Ana Abaunza, Third Grade
Royal Green Elementary School, Miami, FL
Teacher: Ms. Barrett