Peace Project Videos
Mindful ~ Kindful ~ Peaceful
Below are the various video projects we made in the “Caring and Courageous Kids” programs I did over the years (“Peace Project” & “Compassion Circles”). We made these videos to inspire others at school, and in the world, to not only draw awareness to the challenges of bullying, but also to offer inspiration and to summon more courage and compassion in our day to day experiences. We call that “compassion-fit”!
>>> Compassion-fit Challenge<<<
Bullying is the most common form of violence in our society. Power struggles and peer conflicts can turn into peer abuse (bullying). In our programs, children/teens learn how to bring mindfulness into their daily lives to use their heart and wisdom to experience safe, happy, joyful relationships with themselves, as well as with friends, peers, and siblings. They learn and practice compassion for self and others, while improving positivity, confidence, and resilience. They also learn the skills to overcome challenges in their relationships in positive ways. Each student commits to weekly goals to practice the healthy habits to become leaders who help will make the world a better place, beginning with their world at home and school.
FEATURE VIDEO: LEGACY PROJECT
St HOPE Public School PS7 Elementary, Sacramento, CA:
ABOUT LEGACY PROJECT: PS7 joined our “Circles” where I taught a weekly Social-Emotional program for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school year. Mindfulness and kindness are at the core of what we focused on to help contribute to a positive school culture. This included the standards of interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies for Social Emotional Learning identified by research-based organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): self-awareness, self-management and personal responsibility, social awareness and social relationship skills, decision-making and goal setting. The video project below exemplifies our 5th Pillar for the St. HOPE District: “The Power to Lead”. Our district strongly believes the measure of a person’s success is in what he or she gives to others. Through the Legacy Project students will deepen and demonstrate their learning, and will be empowered as leaders, impacting the community with their ideas for making the world a little kinder, a little safer, and a little more peaceful!
The Northern California Filmmakers Coalition volunteered and produced Legacy Project as a project for the community. Throughout the video, Dee DiGioia is being interviewed to explain the Legacy Project and how it can help contribute to a culture of caring and compassion.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ~Jane Goodall
Middle School Peace Project Videos
“Circles of Compassion” (Sutter Middle School, Folsom, CA 2014) presents this year-end video project to help inspire others to become more compassion-fit to help stop bullying and to demonstrate standing up to bullying to help break the cycle using our principles of #flipit and getting #compassionfit! This group came up with their own story and choreography to demonstrate how to “flip it” from a negative situation to something positive. It’s more than raising awareness of the bullying problem. We find solutions and practice them daily! We will use scenarios like these to spark discussions on how to stand up to bullying and contribute to more kindness in our world beginning with our world at home and school!
Circles of Compassion, student thoughts
On 12-2-13 “Caring and Courageous Kids” kicked off its pilot program for teen leadership at Sutter Middle School (Folsom CA) to inspire a culture of compassionate thinkers who will help make a positive difference in their circles of friends to help change the culture of bullying. The kickoff day was a 3 hour session with selected 6th grade students (approx 30) and another 3 hours with selected 7th grade students (approx 35) – weekly classes will follow. We had some fun, but we also “dug deeper” and took a look at the issues we keep covered up when it comes to bullying. Here are what a few of our participants had to say.
Compassion Fit ~ stop bullying!
The theme was “courage”. It’s not easy to stand up but it’s the right thing to do. Be a leader. Stand up, step in. Help change the culture of bullying to a culture of caring. Make that promise.
Cyberbullying time to “flip it”
The theme was how fast we can hurt others through social media. We can also put an end to it. Be a leader: delete, don’t send!
The theme was how quickly we can stop something from escalating. We find solutions and practice them daily! Be a leader. Stand up, step in.
This theme was “it’s cool to care”. It’s not easy to stand up in the face of losing “friends”. Yet, what kind of friends do you want? Ones that put you down or lift you up?
Elementary School Peace Project Videos
PS7 presents Don’t Flip Yo’ Lid
(Elementary) Our “Circles” program at PS7 was learning about mindfulness and the brain (emotional regulation). I was thrilled to find the song “Don’t Flip Yo’ Lid” by JustMe on Youtube and I wanted my students to create our own version as part of our 5th grade Legacy Project. We recently did a lesson on flipping our lid so this was perfect! This project is presented by some of our 5th grade students for the purpose of teaching the rest of the school (Kinder- 5th grade) how to use mindfulness and deep, calming breaths to help calm themselves when feeling upset, frustrated, or stressed out for any number of reasons (including bullying). We are using simple movements and sign language to help teach the message and now the students are singing and signing along!! It’s beautiful!
Stand up to stop bullying, adaptation of “The Juice Box Bully”
This video is our most watched video! This video is an adaptation of the story of “The Juice Box Bully” as performed by “Peace Project” for our “Caring and Courageous Kids” assembly at our elementary school (2011). It is an adaptation from the book “The Juice Box Bully: Empowering Kids to Stand Up for Others” by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy. This was made from the hearts of these caring and courageous students to tell a story to the rest of our school and to anyone else who wants to be inspired. I was the teacher/director/editor with a camera and a bunch of big-hearted students in an after-school club wanting to participate in peace-promoting activities.
(Elementary) This children’s anti-bullying music video was performed by “Peace Project” for our “Caring and Courageous Kids” assembly at our elementary school (2011). The lyrics to “Peace for You and Me” offer a “formula” to show how our actions “add up” to help break the cycle of bullying! The song is upbeat and joyful, and the perfect song to get stuck in the hearts and minds of children to add a little more peace in our world!!! Our original version of the song was professionally recorded with singer Grant Bentley and is available for download at www.cdbaby.com/cd/deedigioia
My Peace Promise to help stop bullying
(Elementary) “My Peace Promise” is our Caring and Courageous Kids bullying prevention pledge and is performed by “Peace Project” for our Caring and Courageous Kids assembly for our elementary school (2011). We hope YOU will make the Peace Promise, too!
Stand up to stop bullying – the story of “The Box”- by Caring and Courageous Kids
(Elementary) This story, The Box, written by Dee DiGioia, is performed by “Peace Project” and was shown at our Caring and Courageous Kids assembly at our elementary school (2011). It is an adaptation of “Holes in the Fence” (author unknown). Memories of being bullied can last a lifetime. Perhaps the story of “The Box” can be a reminder that words and actions that are unkind can last a lifetime and we can’t simply “put tape over the holes” (“say sorry”) and expect “the holes” (the pain) to be covered up. We are not professional actors or filmmakers so you don’t need to point out any mistakes (those comments will be deleted). This was made from the hearts of these caring and courageous students to tell a story to the rest of our school and to anyone else who wants to be inspired.
Stand up to stop bullying, Peace Project performs to “Stand Up”
(Elementary) “Peace Project” performing our story about standing up to Sugarland’s song “Stand Up” (no copyright infringement intended). This was recorded for our Caring and Courageous Kids assembly (2011).