The Lower School puts their spin on a pinwheel art installation.

In 2005, a couple of Florida art teachers created the Pinwheels for Peace art installation project in honor of International Peace Day in September. Since then, schools and organizations around the world have followed the initiative’s simple template and created millions and millions of pinwheels. It’s a natural fit for Sidwell Friends. “Peace being one of our many Quaker testimonies, we want to highlight ways that we can bring more peace or individually demonstrate peace in our Lower School community,” says Kristen Campbell, the Lower School art teacher. “One way to do that is to create community art that brings all of the students’ ideas to life. Students were invited to design bold, colorful designs on one side of their pinwheels and write thoughts and wishes on what peace means to them on the other.”

Sidwell Friends 2nd graders understood the appeal of the pinwheel instinctively. Some took the metaphor to heart: “I like the pinwheels because they just make me feel peaceful,” said Tycho ’33. Others were more abstract: “I like them because they represent containing yourself and a reminder to be kinder,” said Robert ’33. And some were, well, literal: “I like the pinwheels because they can spin,” said Milo ’33.

For Campbell, the project allows her to “add an extra spark of color, creativity, and positive intentions out to the world and within our Lower School community.”