Heathrow Elementary is a very large and diverse school with about 1,100 students from diverse cultural backgrounds. Mrs. Sargent's class created a bold and distinctive sign on the school fence letting everyone know that today was World Harmony Day.

Dr. Barbara Nixon, the Principal, and some of the parents and teachers including Ms. Jennifer Rothman, Ms. Maria Garlick, and others were very inspired and instrumental in creating an exciting program with all the grade levels lasting the entire school day.

They were already set up and ready to go by 8:00 a.m. when we arrived with the Torch. The fourth grade classes came out first, lining up along the driveway inside the campus grounds.

This would be our ‘Harmony Track’ for the rest of the day, a one-quarter mile loop in front of the school. This was a day for the whole school to do laps around the loop for their mileage club as well.

This club has accumulated over 10,000 miles already this school year, walking and running around the loop every other week since September.

Each student has a ticket that gets punched for each lap completed, all students took the whole thing very seriously.

Most of the children also had a country flag that they reproduced as part of their art curriculum.

Some of the children wrote poems or essays related to the theme of harmony and what it means to them and one child was selected from each grade to share their inspiration.

After our presentation to them and their presentations to us, it was time to put in the mileage.

Each child in every age group throughout the whole day covered about one mile of walking and running, along with some of the parents and teachers as well.

Our local coordinator from Lake Mary, Cynthia Morrison, and her father Ray created a ‘Harmony Cauldron’ which was lit by Dr. Nixon, the Principal of the school at the beginning of the ceremony with our World Harmony Run Torch.

From then on it was all excitement as hundreds of children and some adults ran and walked around the loop and the World Harmony Run song played over the loudspeakers.

The children also had an opportunity to hold or carry the Torch, symbolizing the passing of harmony from one person to another.

The few moments of silence and harmony we observed before each run blossomed into a very exciting and dynamic event which incorporated the whole school, children, teachers and parents alike.

The kids were great as their enthusiasm and dynamism made for a very uplifting and harmonious day here in Lake Mary.

We are very grateful to Dr. Nixon, Jennifer Rothman, Maria Garlick and others as they helped to create an event where harmony, creativity and fitness came together in a very exciting event in which young and old alike could contribute.

Smiles abounded as everyone had a chance to hold the torch.

Each child prepared a flage representing their heritage.

We shared our 10,000 mile US running route, which also happened to be the distance the students had collectively completed for this year.

– Arpan Deangelo and Salil Wilson

Distance: 3 miles

Team Members:
Arpan Deangelo (USA), Cynthia Morrison (Mexico), Salil Wilson (Australia)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

Gallery: See more images!