Girl Scout to earn Gold Award for peace project

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June 7, 2012

Girl Scout to earn Gold Award for peace project

By Denise Richardson Staff Writer The Daily Star Thu Jun 07, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

An area Girl Scout chose promoting peace on earth and in the classroom as part of her "Travel the World" project to earn a Gold Award.

Mikaelan Cucciarre-Stuligross, 17, a junior at Walton Central School, presented a Peace Pole to Townsend Elementary School in Walton. The dedication ceremony Wednesday involved about 100 third-graders carrying flags from 196 countries in a program focusing on "May Peace Prevail on Earth," she said.

"It was really exciting," Cucciarre-Stuligross said Wednesday about seeing the event unfold. Her program called for about 10 visits this school year to third-grade classes to speak about different countries, cultural and individual differences.

Cucciarre-Stuligross, a member of Walton Girl Scout Troop 30714 of the NYPenn Pathways, said she expects to finish award requirements next month. The Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts, an organization this year celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The Peace Pole in Walton has "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in English on one side and in Spanish, French and Chinese on its other three sides, Cucciarre-Stuligross said.

The World Peace Prayer Society, which promotes the nonreligious "May Peace Prevail on Earth" prayer, estimates there are more than 200,000 Peace Poles dedicated in nearly every country worldwide.

Through Peace Pals International, the society encourages youths, ages 5 to 19, to become peacemakers dedicated to living in the spirit of the prayer, the organization's website said.

Cucciarre-Stuligross said she worked with representatives from the World Peace Prayer Society office in Wassiac, Dutchess County, to buy and dedicate the Peace Pole, which cost about $120.

In class presentations, pupils were asked to guess which country would be discussed based on snacks she provided, Cucciarre-Stuligross said, such as biscotti before the session on Italy and flan for Mexico.

Lessons included information about a country's culture, traditions, products and animal populations. The most recent session was about the United States, she said, and questions prompted discussions about their personal heritage.

"No one came from the exact same place," Cucciarre-Stuligross said. Some similarities in background were noted, but the exercise revealed that everyone is different, she said, and that created an opportunity to teach the pupils not to bully someone because he or she is "different."

"We determined that differences are good things," Cucciarre-Stuligross said. "The third-graders picked up on it very well."

"Cucciarre-Stuligross is an extremely organized young woman who presented students with valuable anti-bullying messages -- to appreciate differences and that peace begins at home and in the classroom," said Judith Breese, Walton Board of Education president, who read a poem during Wednesday's ceremony.

"She is a remarkable young woman who has such enthusiasm and verve," Breese said. "She put together a remarkable learning experience for the kids."

Cucciarre-Stuligross estimated her project cost about $500. Candle sales and a chicken barbecue have helped her reach about half the cost, she said, and fundraising will continue. She will meet in July with a Girl Scout council as part of final steps to complete her Gold Award.

"I think she did a fantastic job," said Nancy Cucciarre-Stuligross, who is her mother and scout leader. "It was a good experience for her to work with younger kids."

She said her daughter started planning the project in 2010 and had many requirements to meet. The project also was a valuable lesson in time management, organization and public speaking, she said.

Mikaelan Cucciarre-Stuligross said she plans to attend college to study marine biology and education. Teaching third-graders, she said, has been "amazing."