A principal’s impromptu conversation with a group of sixth grade boys gets ‘deep’
St. Theresa School sixth graders, from left, Ili, Isaac, Penaia, Keola and Camden. (Photo courtesy of Wendy Castillo)
By Wendy Castillo
Special to the Herald
On this International Peace Day, Sept. 21, I had planned to interview many “learners” from different grades about what peace means to them. But I found myself at a lunch table with five of our sixth grade boys and our conversation was so serious and so honest that I felt they really deserved a spotlight. As our pastor La Salette Father Edwin Conselva finished ringing the church bell to signify Peace Day, I sat down to talk.
“Hi boys. Can I join you? I’m writing an article and want to ask you a question about peace.” All five of them, said, “Yes!” (OK, they can’t really say no to the principal, but I appreciated the enthusiasm.)
I joined Keola, Isaac, Ili, Penaia and Camden. They were right in the middle of lunch and politely stopped their conversation to listen to what I had to say. “Today is International Peace Day. It’s a day when we all reflect on ways that we can make the world a better place. What does peace mean to all of you?”
“Can I go first?” asked Ili, with no hesitation. Ili is new to our school this year and is a lively part of the sixth grade class. Ili likes conversation and kept a thoughtful, steady gaze as he spoke.
“Peace means treating others the way you want to be treated,” he said. “I like when people treat me with kindness and respect. They should be caring and I should be able to trust them. I try to treat others like that.”
“But how can that help bring peace to the world,” I asked. He paused to think, then said, “Just making someone smile can change the world because then the person feels better about themselves.”
“That was deep,” commented Isaac.
I had to agree. That was deep. Maybe peace can start by making sure everyone feels good about themselves?
I turned to Isaac. “What does peace mean to you, Isaac?”
He took a long moment to think it through. “To me peace means being positive whether someone makes you mad or happy. Peace means you have to say sorry and you have to forgive.”
“How is forgiving someone for making you mad going to bring peace?” I asked.
“Because, if someone can apologize or forgive someone else, then others will see it and it will show that others can do it, too,” Isaac explained.
Again, he was correct. Our actions mean so much more than our words. I turned to Keola, who is also new to our school and was a little hesitant to speak up although he had been listening closely and was obviously thinking about what he’d like to say.
Last week, Keola told me that he really liked this school and was feeling positive about his family’s decision for him to come here. I was excited to hear what he had to say.
“Peace means using kind words and not putting people down. It’s not fun for someone to get left out. They would feel bad being left out and that is not peace. Peace means feeling good.”
“Peace starts with kindness!” Penaia jumped in from the other end of the table. These boys are really paying attention!
Ili said, “We are reading a book in class called ‘Wonder.’ One line I like says, ‘When given a choice between being right and being kind, choose to be kind.’
Oh my gosh! I loved that he just referenced a book! Awesome!
Isaac jumped in, “In a real life scenario, maybe if the police catch someone stealing they could see if the person really needed the stuff. Maybe sometimes they should just pay for it for them instead of arresting them.”
A bit of silence followed as the boys pondered this point. Camden said, “I really agree with Penaia; peace starts with kindness. Always.”
“And kindness starts with giving,” Penaia stopped to think. “It’s in the Bible. When they are in the temple and the rich man gives a lot of money but the poor woman only gives like three coins, Jesus says that she gave more because she gave all she had with all her heart. THAT is peace.”
I had to agree. These boys got the idea, that’s for sure. I’m was thinking that this had been a great conversation and I had to go and let them finish their meal. I said thank you and got up to leave. Ili stopped me.
“Peace really means that you stop thinking about ME and start thinking about WE.”
I’m blown away … again.
“I never knew you were so deep, Ili,” said Isaac.
“Yeah, that was deep!” agreed Penaia.
“I got it from a coronavirus ad, but it’s true for peace, too,” Ili clarified, in utter seriousness.
“How come you know so much about peace? Now you gotta act like it!” Isaac joked.
Ili, packing up his lunch, looked up to answer quietly, “I’m trying.”
What more can we ask for? Know the path, stay on the path. We all get off track sometimes, but we make our way back to the path. Ili was right, he’s trying. And if we all try? Just imagine!
I was beyond impressed and am looking forward to my next conversation with these kids. They are thinkers. They are paying attention.
I realized that we must keep talking about peace for it to solidify and become part of our reality. And I realized that our learners are the ones we should be talking to. They get it, pure and simple. The end … or the beginning?
Castillo is principal of St. Theresa School, Kekaha.
