Cypress Lake High School welcomed the World Harmony Runners this morning to their Theatre for the Performing Arts with the Color Guard presenting the flags as everyone stood up to watch their precision performance.

The Theatre was packed as students, teachers and performers were all there with us to offer their creative contributions to the program.

Salil gave the introduction to the World Harmony Run before watching one of our international videos on the big screen. Young art students had the front row equipped with their sketch pads and pencils to visually record the events.

After introducing ourselves we offer our own version of performing arts. As we perform the World Harmony Run Theme Song we try to get others to participate with the music and lyrics printed on our banner.

A number of students offered their own very moving and meaningful poems based on the themes of Harmony and Happiness.

The student Jazz Ensemble performed some very nice upbeat music.

The Choral Group harmonies were fantastic and right on key.

This young man did a very soulful rendition of an old folk song.

The dancers also offered beautifully choreographed performances with flowing costumes and graceful lines.

Assistant Principal Shelly Thimlar who helped to coordinate today's program and Principal Tracy Perkins are beaming after accepting the WHR Certificate of Appreciation and a World-Harmony painting created by Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the World Harmony Run. We are very grateful for their school's creative and dynamic participation in this program.

The Torch is ready to enter the next school for today, Cypress Lake Middle School in Ft. Myers.

The girls' cross-country runners carry the torch into the auditorium under a colorful bridge of handmade paper torches each with a different country and its flag colors painting on them.

There were hundreds of kids there who listened attentively as we offered our exciting program to them and had them participate in some of our activities.

Cathy Oerter, Chairperson of Art of the Olympians has worked very hard on scheduling these school events, shows her talents of relating to the kids from her days as a high school teacher.

The children take a silent moment to feel peace and harmony in their hearts.

On of the teachers, Mr. White, offers his enthusiasm and energy in leading the other teachers around the gym with the torch.

Principal Jeananne Folaros holds the World-Harmony painting as two students accept our Certificate of Appreciation for such an enthusiastic participation of their school in our program.

Most of the students had a chance to hold the torch and offer their wishes for harmony and peace as they returned to the classrooms.

Some of the teachers were all smiles when they had a chance to hold the torch offering their tremendous energy and goodwill which they manifest in their brilliant work with the children in this school.

We ran into Edison Park Elementary school later that morning with hundreds of children greeting us with cheers and high fives as we came down the driveway.

Niyojita from Mongolia offers her hints to the children so they can guess which country she is from.

Leslie Bush, an Olympic Gold Medalist in 10 Metre Platform Diving in the 1964 Olympics offers her experience as a former teacher and very moving stories about her Olympic experiences when she was only 17 years old.

These young poets offered their incredibly creative poetry on the themes of Happiness and Harmony.

This poem by Shelby Ernst, a fifth grader, was very deep, creative and spiritually meaningful at the same time.

This colorful painting was done by a Kindergarten student!

Prakhara, one of our tireless coordinators, offers Principal Dr. Carl Brunick a Certificate of Appreciation and Happiness painting by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the World Harmony Run.

Dr. Brunick poses with our team as we leave his very inspiring and creative school.

Some of the many students who happily held the torch and offered their wishes and goodwill.

The fourth and final school of the day was Allen Park Elementary school where we were greeted by children and teachers lining the sidewalk.

Some of the children created a very colorful banner waiting to greet us on the basketball courts as we entered the playground.

Our team offered our program to a large group of children outdoors.

Leslie and Cathy always add a very personal and experienced dimension to our relationship with the children and in offering examples in how twe can all relate to others with a sense of respect, harmony and oneness.

The children were eager to participate in our exercises of feeling peace and harmony in their hearts and in acting out the words to our World Harmony Run theme song.

Why is this young man dressed so warmly in the sunshine state of Florida?

He was one of the children acting out a historically well-know figure. He was playing the role of one of the first persons to successfully get to the North Pole.

Principal Gini Moore and Assistant Principal Lisa Eastridge who helped coordinate today's program accept our gifts of gratitude for all their hard work and inspiring guidance of the children. We are very grateful to them for the wondeful job they are doing with the children and with the wonderful welcoming program they offered us.

The children and adults alike all enjoy sharing the torch. The children especially react in very expressive ways when they feel the positive energy of the torch which has passed through thousands of hands of peace lovers around this vast country.

Just before leaving the school some of the children and teachers had a chance to experience the joy of running with the torch around the playground.

Seth, Manager at Moe's Southwest Grill, offered our team delicious burritos this afternoon. We are so grateful to him and to Moe's for their kindness and support and for the very tasty, nutritious food that they serve.

Make sure you click on the link below to see extra images - there's lots more.

 

– Arpan

---

Team Members:
Arpan DeAngelo (New York), Prabhakar Street (Canada), Salil Wilson (Australia), Cathy Oerter (Florida), Prakhara Harter (Washington, D.C.), Niyojita Purevsuren (Mongolia), Rupasi Young (Seattle, Washington), Pranlobha Kalagian (Seattle, Washington), Leslie Bush (Princeton, New Jersey)

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

Gallery: See more images!

< USA 11 March

USA 13 March >