Kids Creative at PS 102: The I AM Project

Peace Education in Action

The I AM Project at PS 102

by Kellen Atkinson,

Kids Creative Site Director at PS 102

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others,”

Author unknown

We all remember it--that time during our adolescence when the self-doubt began, when suddenly, almost out of thin air, the opinions of our peers began to shape how we saw ourselves. At PS 102 I have seen the very early stages of exclusionary behavior among groups of friends and how these behaviors deeply affect a student’s sense of value and self-worth. Kids Creative is dedicated to building safe spaces in which the difficult realities of adolescence can be softened by a collective culture of peace. At PS 102 we are working towards building that space and we envision an after school experience defined by acceptance, kindness and peace.

The I AM Project encourages students to know themselves, to appreciate their own unique qualities and contributions to our program. The first phase of the project involves a life size drawing, a design component and a poetry workshop that encourages self- exploration. Students are challenged to think about their hopes, dreams, fears and proudest moments and then put those thoughts down on paper in the written word. The second phase of the project will involve the sharing of the work produced and counselors will facilitate dialogue around similarities and shared ideas. The goal is to build a space in which the ideas and characteristics of each individual child are appreciated and valued, not only by the counselors and teachers, but by each student as well. It is through a better understanding of ourselves that we can begin to find commonalties in people and places where we never expected. Dialogue around commonalities can diffuse conflict among peer groups and build bridges to a more peaceful program environment!

These works will be on display at an upcoming Kids Creative fundraising event for the PS 102 program, wherein students can stand tall and proud next to their work and feel confident in their own unique “I am…”

-Kellen Atkinson