Getting ready for an exciting day of Peace activities with the San Diego, California school system.
Salil, Executive Director of the Peace Run, goes over the day's schedule with local coordinators Prakhara and Cathy Oerter.
The children at the first school prepare by carrying their own chairs to the outdoor venue. With Peace comes responsibility.
The children also prepared their own creative expressions of peace.
Ed Lenderman of Local TV station KUSI came to cover the event live. Watch here and Here.
The runners are greeted by a welcoming committee of children as they were joined by two student runners.
High fives all around.
Our team members carry some of the country flags represented here.
Salil introduces the run to the hundreds of students present.
We have a very international team of runners. Kaneenika is from Slovakia.
Brahmata hails from Canada.
Tonis is from Russia. Other countries represented are Australia, Austria, Romania and various states in the United States.
Various groups of children performed peace songs for us.
These children sang 'What a Wonderful World' with choreography.
Enjoying the show.
A group of excellent singers begin their peace song.
Their song was sung vocally and with sign language as well.
Signing the song with true dedication.
This rhythmical group performed a very lively step dance.
The lively dance ended with this giant Peace sign.
The children love to take part in our songs.
An appreciative audience.
Cathy Oerter and Principal Shannon Lewis present awards to some of the children for excellence in art and the spoken word on the theme of peace.
A gold medal winner.
A Bronze medal winner in the visual arts.
Peace in a happy smile.
Our runners become a choir as we sing the official Peace Run Song composed by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run.
Finding peace in the heart.
Prakhara, from Atlanta, has worked very hard to help coordinate these events in San Diego.
Prakhara presents the Principal, Shannon Lewis, with a few gifts for the school which was very well prepared and very welcoming to the Peace Run.
At the end of our program the local television station, KVSI, had us waving to the camera for their live broadcast.
At the Audubon Elementary and Middle school later that morning we had a very warm welcome.
Rebecca Mitchell, one of the teachers led us in with the Peace Torch through a crowd of enthusiastic children.
Principal Tim Suanico, also joined us on our exciting entry to this very friendly school.
Rebecca and one of her colleagues enjoy the moment as they present the Torch at the beginning of our ceremony with the children.
Some of the children hold up their artwork on the theme of Peace.
Introducing the Peace Run and our international team of runners.
One of the older students who won the gold medal for her essay on Peace shares her valuable words with us.
Cathy Oerter, who created the inspiring Al Oerter Award for Art and the Spoken word, shares the moment with another award winner.
Her artwork called 'Peace for the earth' was first place in the visual arts category.
The children then had a torch relay run around the schoolyard.
Principal TIm Suanico and other teachers enjoy a lap and some high fives with the children.
Principal Suanico is awarded a Certficate of Appreciation for the school and a colorful painting on the theme of Peace by the Founder of the Peace Run, Sri Chinmoy.
Many smiles as the children get to hold the Torch and make a wish for peace.
Some of the colorful and creative artwork by the children.
Our third school of the day was the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts.
We were greeted by hundreds of students as we ran into the courtyard with 1500 enthusiastic high schoolers.
Principal Tim Farson introduces the Peace Run as he proudly holds the Peace Torch .
Afte rintroducing ourselves we were treated to top notch entertainment.
The ballet dancers were superb and graceful.
Two students treated us to a very entertaining musical scene with humor and professionalism.
Cathy Oerter presented the awards for excellence in the spoken word and the visual arts.
Three medal winners for their superb essays on the theme of peace.
The Gold Medalist in the visual arts as Cathy holds up her beautiful painting.
Now it's our turn to offer some vocal entertainment, however feeble it may be in comparison to the music the students offered to us.
We did have some appreciative fans.
Papaha offers an exercise on the heart centered peace meditation.
This gentleman cheefully offered his view on helping to change the world.
Three students who reflected on how to improve the world in a positive and peaceful way.
Roxanne Carrasco, Professional Actress and Liaison with Community Partners for this uniquely talented school, proudly holds the Peace Torch as Principal Tim Farson accepts the gifts of Appreciation from Prakhara.
We are extremely grateful to Principal Farson and to Roxanne and the Creative Arts school for their wonderful creative expressions offered to us today in the name of Peace and Harmony.
Many of the students had an opportunity to share the Peace Torch as we sadly departed this very uplifting and enlightening school.
