Ginther first graders Tyler Mundorff and Christina Lloyd make a friendship bracelet together. They are students in Wendy Wegman's class.

The foyer of the Ginther School illustrates what students and staff have been working on in their "Peace It Together" school-wide program. On the wall are the puzzle pieces students drew in their own likeness and above are the paper cranes teachers made.

Ginther students "Peace It Together"

Students at Brockport's Ginther School are giving peace a chance. Ginther's Student Assistance Program recently launched a school-wide program entitled "Peace It Together" in an effort to teach students peaceful ways to handle school conflicts.

In the classrooms, teachers were provided with lesson plans for teaching ways to deal with bullying behavior and to determine if a problem needs adult help or is something that students can handle themselves. At the start of the program, staff created colorful origami cranes as a symbol of peace to hang in the school foyer. Then each student created a puzzle piece in his or her own image that were put together and displayed in the foyer symbolizing how everyone can work together peacefully.

In their classes, students have been reading a compilation of stories about peace, friendship and dealing with bullying behavior, and singing songs about peace in music class. Some of the school's Safe School Ambassadors performed skits for the school about how to respond to bullying behavior.

Staff also enjoyed a "Peace of Pie" when 20 staff members baked pies to share after school. At the same time, they learned how to make friendship bracelets, so they could teach their students. Then each Ginther class was paired with a class from Elizabeth Barclay Elementary School to make friendship bracelets from twisted yarn and clay beads that were made by Art Club students.