Back in 2007 some High School kids saw the violence of Virginia Tech and they wanted to do something to counteract it. You see this is High School is part of the same district that experienced one of the worst acts of school violence that this country has ever known, Columbine.
Each student in the Jefferson County School District goes to school each day and knows subconsciously that their lives were forever changed on that day in April 1999. The students who decided to change the conversation were just young elementary school kids the day the shooting at Columbine was forever seared into our minds. But they remembered because they each have had to change how they view their school each and every day since then. Doors were locked, ID's were handed out, strangers are questioned, endless discussions were held and posters were hung in every room detailing what to do if it ever happened again. Frequent scares and drills were the norm each and every year until the immediacy faded. But the students never forgot.
So in 2007 a few High School Students at Standley Lake saw the violence again mar their lives when Virginia Tech splashed across the news. They asked each other "what can we do?" As they talked about it with their teachers and each other, and idea began to emerge. What if they had a day without hate?
What they envisioned was a day where all drama, negative feelings and hate would be banished. As they worked out their plan the school peer counselors went to each class and explained the concept of what they wanted to do. Each student was asked to wear all white in support of the idea that they were all the same, that the 'uniforms' that identified the differences would be set aside for one day.
The first "Day without Hate" came to my attention only because my oldest son was a freshman at the time. He was excited about the concept and planned his outfit of all white carefully.
During passing periods on Friday there were 'Passing Period Challenges'. The challenges were motivational things to do to break down barriers between classmates.
Seniors went to all of the elementary schools and found fifth and sixth grade pictures of all the classes currently at SLHS to put up around the school.
This was done to remind students that there was a time when they were friends with people they might not like now and that all of them were at the same level once.
One project that my son was most excited about was when they posted a huge banner at the front of the school and invited each student to add a positive or inspirational message so they could show future students that they were committed to changing their school for the better.
For one day, the school was united as a whole. The lines students had drawn between each other, lines of hate and drama, disappeared.
This one special day was so popular that it has become a tradition each year since it's inception and has spread slowly but surely to all the schools in the district, including Middle and Elementary Schools this year.
Interest is growing through a facebook page and the support and sponsorship of a group by the name of PeaceJam. The original Day without Hate was enthusiastically supported by other clubs and groups within the school, including the LINK Leaders, Peer Counselors, Student Council and even the Knitting Club got in the act by making ribbons to pass out to the students.
"The mission of the PeaceJam Foundation is to create young leaders committed to positive change in themselves, their communities and the world through the inspiration of Nobel Peace Laureates who pass on the spirit, skills, and wisdom they embody."
Other schools in the country have shown some interest in starting their own "Day without Hate" PeaceJam has worked with the school from the beginning to promote peace and the end to violence, racism and hate.
This year will be the fourth year and strangely I received an e-mail from the principle of the school yesterday. He wanted to inform parents that Standley Lake High School was scheduled to receive a visit from Westboro Baptist Church and the Phelps family of haters during the morning when all the students were coming into the school. The school is small and the scheduled protest stop is one of several planned in the Denver area for April 22-24th. The actual "Day without Hate" at Standley and in the district is planned for April 30th. I won't go to their website to find out why they are targeting this tiny school that no one has ever heard of, but I am wondering if they saw the small ripples that have gone out from just a small idea that started in a small school that has now grown.
The Principle after consulting with the district decided that they would not allow students to participate in a counter protest. He is most likely playing it safe. However, there is a counter-protest planned by other groups in the area. Westword, a local paper, is not speculating why this school is a target but as a learning tool for students who are already talking about how to end hate and division, they are wasting their time. When I asked my son what he had heard about this planned visit from the haters at Westboro, he told me that they had already decided the best response was to walk past them on the way to school holding hands with all their friends. Obviously they have the right idea!