Front row, from left, are Chautauqua Lake Central School students Paige Zarpentine, Clayton Smith and Gage Szymanowski. Second row, from left are students Grady Obert and Tyler Seelbinder with Dan McCray, a Chautauqua Lake Central School teacher who helped create the Peace Pole. Submitted photo

MAYVILLE – The village of Mayville’s Lakeside Park is now home to a newly refurbished symbol of peace through a special service-learning project undertaken by students in the Advanced Woodworking class at Chautauqua Lake Secondary School.

The initiative was spearheaded by Diane Clark, founder and director of the Greystone Nature Preserve, and Bill Moran, operational manager and music director. Both joined students and village representatives in a ceremony recently filled with song and celebration to mark the installation of the Peace Pole.

Last spring, the Village of Mayville received a $675,000 grant for Lakeside Park improvements under the Waterfront Revitalization initiative. The Greystone Nature Preserve proposed including a Peace Pole as part of the enhancements.. Jennifer Obert explored the idea of purchasing a new Peace Pole but envisioned the students creating one instead.

“I discussed this with Mayor Syper, who loves involving younger people in community projects. He believes fostering a connection to the community in youth ensures they will always cherish this place,” Obert said.

Chautauqua Lake juniors Paige Zarpentine and Nate Henry expressed their pride and appreciation for the chance to contribute to the community and connect with older generations.

“Our Peace Pole is truly unique. We designed it with a bevel on the top to ensure that snow and rain shed off, and the epoxy will protect the words for a long time,” Henry said.

Zarpentine researched the appropriate fonts for the languages of Mandarin, Hebrew and Spanish, which all echo the phrase, “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” The project involved programming these languages into a computer numerical control (CNC) machine, which then engraved the phrase onto each side of the pole. After sanding and preparing the surface, students applied an epoxy liquid resin to harden over the engravings.

“Among the many Peace Poles in our area, this one stands out as a testament to the creativity and civic engagement of our students. We are thrilled to share our Peace Pole with the community,” said Rachel Curtin, Chautauqua Lake Secondary School principal.

The installation ceremony included blessings through song and a historical overview of the Peace Pole movement. The Peace Pole Project was started in Japan by Masahisa Goi (1916-1980), who was moved by the devastation of World War II and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1955, during a moment of deep prayer and inspiration, Goi coined the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” Initially promoted in Japan, Peace Poles began to appear globally after the United Nations International Year of Peace in 1986. Today, more than 200,000 Peace Poles stand in almost every country worldwide.

“I appreciate the time and effort the students of Chautauqua Lake Secondary School dedicated to this project,” said Rick Syper, Mayville mayor. “The Peace Pole, now installed near the gazebo at Mayville Lakeside Park, will stand as a lasting symbol of peace for the community and future generations to enjoy.”