Every year, 6th-grade students go to Hiroshima for their grade-level trips. This year, the students went from Feburary 25 to 27th, visiting heritage sites each day. Additionally, the 6th-grade students made cranes for Hiroshima and brought them to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It was a trip where the students were able to explore the history of the country they live in, and at the same time, exploring the dangers of atomic weapons.
The 6th-grade students have a packed schedule during the trip. According to Mr. Southall, the planner of the trip, it was a three-day trip, where they went to Himeji Castle on day 1, and on day 2, they went to many different places. They went to places such as the Children’s Peace Monument, the Peace Memorial Museum, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and more. On the last day, they visited the Itsukushima Shrine.
This year, like every other year, the students folded 1,000 cranes to symbolize peace. Like usual, the students were able to fold the 1,000 cranes. Every student had a part in the creation of the cranes. According to Mr. Southall, “40 students [in sixth grade] made 12 cranes and 40 students made 13 cranes”. These cranes were dedicated to promoting worldwide harmony.
The 6th-grade students went on the Hiroshima trip, a trip that opens them up to the dangers of atomic weapons and the catastrophic damage it does to the affected area. As the only country affected by this devastating weapon, the students folded cranes to symbolize world peace and as a memorial for the survivors and the unfortunate.
