This morning we were greeted in the large gymnasium by hundreds of children and adults of Lehigh Senior High School in Lehigh Acres just north of Fort Myers.

The exciting school band played some lively music for us as we ran around the gymnasium.

The JROTC, or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps offered a presentation of the flags in with precision manuevers.

After we introduced ourselves briefly we showed the school one of our global run videos which is very effective in presenting the concept of world harmony and how it manifests in various countries around the world.

Our good friend and Chairman of Art of the Olympians, Cathy Oerter, is a former high school teacher herself and related very well to the young adults at this school as she does in all the schools where we make our presentations.

With her charismatic personaltity she definitely knows how to involve the crowds.

They call their school the 'House of Thunder', and that it was for a while as everyone enjoyed the program, especially when they had a chance to carry or hold the torch.

Even the teachers did a few laps around the gym to the excitement of all the students.

Prakhara, our tireless coordinator, offers a Certificate of Appreciation and World Harmony Run painting by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the World Harmony Run.

We are all very grateful to Principal Jackie Corey, Guidance Counselor Claire Forester and Assistant Principal Michelle Freeman who coordinated this event for us. Needless to say, the teachers, who are seen here passing the torch amongst themselves, also made this an exciting morning for everyone.

We are also grateful to our friends from the Lee County School District who have been attending all our events and encouraging us the whole way.

As we ran the torch out of the school the dynamic school band offered us once again its great tunes.

Just down the street was Varsity Lakes Middle School where the cross-country runners were waiting for us, anxious to get the torch and run.

They joined us from the road to carry the torch with us into the school.

After being welcomed by the talented school band we offered our own program as we usually do with each runner offering our own unique perspective of the Run.

The school's own Step Team troupe was fantastic as they had complex choreographed syncopated dance steps that left us spellbound for a good 15 minutes.

Three art finalists from the art contest which was sponsored by the WHR showed their paintings and explained how they intended to express harmony and happiness through their creations.

The teachers created more excitement when they did a few laps with the torch.

Everyone enjoyed holding or even just touching the torch either individually or in a group.

Principal Scott Cook and Coordinator Julie Powell kindly accept our gifts of gratitude to them on behalf of the whole school . We are grateful to everyone involved for such an inspiring and exciting program today.

The next school was Treeline Elementary where we were greetedby a group of excited kids who ran in with us.

Hundreds of children greeted us in the courtyard behind the school. 

We offered them our program which includes guessing by our clues where we are from, singing our song to them and having them participate in the actions to the words, answering questions about harmony and peace, and passing the torch. 

The children had a moment of silence to try and feel the peace and harmony in their own hearts.

Our good friend Lesley Bush, a 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist, explaining her specialty, diving and how her Olympic experiences taught her about world peace.

Some of the children who held the torch had offered us their beautiful poetry as well. This young girl had a recipe for harmony written into her poem.

Some of the children seem to understand the relationship of the torch and the message of the heart.

Our team was also presented with Treeline Elementary cards or badges with their logo as well as our logo on it. Also printed on the card was their motto of "Building a Caring Community Together where Success is the Only Option." Principal Joe Vetter accepts our gift as Norma Pennington accepts our Certificate of Appreciation for the whole school. She helped to coordinate this event with our own local coordinator, Prakhara Harter.

Dunbar Middle School was the fourth and final school of the day for our team. As we ran in children excitedly gave us high fives along the driveway.

We offered our program to a large group of students in the gym which also displayed some of the beautiful paintings from the children.

We were delighted to be joined by Rob Stull, a former Olympian in the Pentathlon and a good friend of Cathy Oerter's. He gave a very inspiring talk about some of his Olympic experiences and how it relates to becoming a better citizen of the world.

There is always lots of excitement when the teachers get to carry the torch as they run around the gym.

Some of the kids got to run with the torch as well.

Principal Cherise Trent and Coordinator Andrea Schillinger accept our offerings of gratitude for their efforts to make this wonderful program happen.

The Cross Country team carried the torch out of the ceremony and down the driveway to see us off after the program. We are so happy and grateful that so many children enthusiastically participate in our events in this dynamic way, especially at the end of the day. 

– Arpan

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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), Tilvila Hurwitt (Tampa)

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

Gallery: See more images!

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