Charleroi students dedicate Peace Pole as sign of hope for the future
It features the message “May peace prevail on Earth” in several languages.
In a world where students can often feel divided and uncertain, members of the Charleroi Area High School Interact Club wanted to leave behind something permanent — a visible reminder that kindness, understanding and peace still matter in their school community.
Despite steady rain Wednesday morning, students, teachers and community members gathered outside the school gymnasium to dedicate a Peace Pole carrying a message of understanding they hope students will see every day for years to come.
Colorful student artwork promoting kindness and acceptance lined the fence near the auditorium, where the ceremony was held under a covered area because of the weather.
Nearby, the Peace Pole stood displaying the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” in several languages.
The project, organized by the Charleroi Area High School Interact Club, was designed to reflect both the school’s diversity and the cultural roots of the Mon Valley community.
“As we dedicate this Peace Pole, we are not just placing it in the ground,” Interact Club co-president Finlee Lenhart said. “We are planting a message. A message that peace is possible, that it matters and that it starts right here in our school.”
Peace Poles originated in Japan in 1955 following the devastation of World War II and have since become international symbols of peace and unity. More than 250,000 Peace Poles now stand in over 180 countries worldwide.
Interact Club co-president Finlee Lenhart welcomes guests to the Peace Pole dedication. Taylor Brown / Mon Valley Independent
For Charleroi students, the idea began after Lenhart attended a Peace Pole dedication ceremony in Monessen City Park last year as part of a Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club service project.
“I didn’t know much about what the Peace Pole represented,” Lenhart said. “But after attending the ceremony, I thought it would be a great addition to our school campus.”
Lenhart brought the idea to community member and family friend Joe Caruso, who helped the Interact Club secure funding through a Bank of America Community Volunteer Grant.
From there, students worked to organize the dedication ceremony, coordinate displays and select languages for the monument that reflected the “diverse and vibrant
Interact Club Sponsor Jessica Hefferan applauds students on Wednesday.
community” of Charleroi Area High School.
Interact Club co-president Ava Lion said the project represents more than a monument. To students, she said, it signifies inclusion.
“The message of peace breaks all language barriers,” Lion said. “We are all human. We all have fears. We all love. We all have families and friends. We are all part of the Charleroi community.”
Lion told attendees the pole symbolizes unity, respect and acceptance in a time when students often see division in the world around them.
“This may be a small step toward the end of racism, discrimination, stereotypes and inequality,” she said, “but it is a necessary step, and we are proud to be part of
Venia Casimir offers a message of peace in Spanish.
it.”
During the ceremony, students delivered “messages of peace” in several of the languages represented on the monument, reinforcing the project’s focus on cultural understanding and inclusion within the Charleroi Area School District community.
Aryana Chiplaskey delivered a message in English, while students Kiara Noncant, Michaella Cineus, Radelce Deliscard and Loubinia Lubin presented messages in French. Messages in Spanish were shared by Venia Casimir, Jeffly Souffrant, Rudemia l’Esperance, Ovainel Jose Diaz Garcia and Steeve Casimir, while Christie Desormes, Chrislove Jules and Willa Colo spoke in Creole. Lorchemie Derifond delivered a message in Portuguese, and American Sign Language was also represented during the ceremony.
Steeve Casimir offers a message of peace in Spanish.
Additional peace messages included “May Peace be in our Schools” by Makayla Bandi, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” by Abby Yu and “May Peace be in our Hearts” by Madison McMillen.
The multilingual presentations reflected the message chosen for the monument itself — “May Peace Prevail on Earth” — which Interact Club members selected to represent both the diverse backgrounds of current students and the cultural roots of the Mon Valley community.
Throughout the ceremony, student artwork reinforced those same themes.
Elementary students created peace-themed drawings featuring hearts, flowers, peace signs and handwritten
Christie Desormes offers a message of peace in Creole.
reflections describing what peace means to them personally.
One student wrote that peace means “spending time doing things I enjoy,” while another described peace as “being in my own place.” Other displays highlighted kindness, patience, listening and acceptance.
Donna Vesely of the Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club connected the students’ project to the importance of building peace within local communities, telling students that the message carried by the Peace Pole should extend beyond the ceremony itself and into everyday life in Charleroi.
Vesely explained that while there are now more than 250,000 Peace Poles in more than 180 countries
Rudemia l’Esperance offers a message of peace in Spanish.
worldwide, the monument outside Charleroi Area High School serves as a reminder that peace begins with small actions close to home.
“The message of peace on the poles is a visible sign to the community that Rotary is a peace-building organization,” Vesely said.
She encouraged students to think about how peace can be reflected in friendships, family relationships and daily interactions within the school community.
“What about that friend that you had an argument with yesterday?” Vesely asked attendees. “Let’s just take a deep breath and say, ‘You know what? You’re my friend.’” Vesely said she hopes students continue thinking about the monument long after the dedication ceremony ends.
Donna Vesley, president of the Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club, spoke to students on behalf of Stephanie Urchick, president of Rotary Club International during the ceremony on Wednesday.
“I hope that each and every day, when you go past the Peace Pole, if you’re in a bad mood, if that best friend of yours had a fight, I hope you’ll take a deep breath,” she said. “And I hope you find peace.”
Interact sponsor Jessica Hefferan thanked students for carrying the project from a simple idea into a lasting addition to the school campus through months of planning and coordination and despite Wednesday’s weather.
At times becoming emotional while speaking to the students standing nearby, Hefferan praised the Interact Club members for demonstrating what young people can accomplish when they work together toward a common goal.
“This Peace Pole stands not only as a symbol of unity and hope, but as a reflection of your dedication, compassion and perseverance,” Hefferan said.
Interact Club co-president Ava Lion spoke during the dedication.
She told students the monument represents more than a physical structure outside the school gymnasium. Instead, she said, it represents the kind of community students are working to create inside the Charleroi Area School District.
Hefferan said she hopes students continue carrying the message of the Peace Pole long after the dedication ceremony is over — in classrooms, friendships and everyday interactions throughout the community.
Even after the ceremony ended, students and guests lingered in the rain reading the inscriptions, studying student artwork and taking photographs beside the monument.
Nearby, Hefferan reminded students that meaningful change can begin in even the smallest communities.
“May this Peace Pole serve as a daily reminder of the impact one person, one club and one small school in one small community can have on the whole world,” she said.
Student officers for the 2025-26 school year include co-presidents Lenhart and Lion, co-secretaries/media Aryana Chiplaskey and Lily Duhon and treasurer Joella Pendleton. The club includes students from all grade levels who helped organize the project, ceremony and peace-themed displays throughout the campus.
Other Interact members include seniors Samantha Luckock, Kiara McDonough, Ryleigh Taylor and Lillian Withers; juniors Juliana Cardenas, Sofia Coleman, Lyric Goins, Jemima Gonqueh, Crosby Hatalowich, Natalia Jenkins, Madalyn Marconyak, Eva Matinko, Delaney Pauley and Lily Rocca; sophomores Makayla Bandi, Arianna Fiordiglgi, Madison McMillen and Abby Yu; and freshmen Alexa Bruner and Alexandra Helinski.
