Benton Harbor students to pledge for peace on last day of school

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- On Benton Harbor High School's last day of school, students will embark on a peace walk, allowing students to take a pledge of peace over the summer.

The tradition returns to BHHS following a recent trip 38 students took down South on the Civil Rights Trail.

Cyn-ciere Jett is finishing up her freshman year and overcame her fear of flying to take her first airplane ride with her peers.

"It was great. It was very inspirational. It was very informational too," Jett said. "It informed me a lot about my history and how I should take it more seriously, how I should feel great about my race and who I am, my culture, and my past."

The group visited Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma, Alabama.

Those students who embarked on this inspiring excursion will lead Thursday's peace walk, which will pass by the new Martin Luther King Jr. statue at City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor.

This is a new stop this year; the statue is new, and it ties in with the trip students just returned from.

There was some drama with the city, which was not going to allow an unsanctioned event. But one facilitator, Cindy Goodson, says she spoke with the city manager, and they are now permitted to stop at the statue on Thursday, take photos, and do some peaceful chants, before they continue the walk, which will conclude back at the high school.

The walk is an opportunity for student leaders to set an example.

"If our students don't have peace, our buildings don't have peace," Goodson said. "If our students can start with themselves, and take that peace pledge, get a peace partner, and be peacekeepers, then we can change the culture within the schools. We can change the culture within the community, within our homes."

The walk begins Thursday at 8:15 a.m. in the peace garden in front of the high school's main entrance.

It concludes at 10 a.m. In the same spot, with music, food, and fun, before the students are dismissed on summer break at 11 a.m.

You can still register and take the pledge; that information can be found here.