Earlier this morning, fifth-graders at Woodmoor Elementary in Baltimore County filed out of their school building to a hill where a large peace symbol was painted in orange on the dewy grass.

They carried multi-colored paper pinwheels with them, crafted and decorated over the course of two weeks as they discussed the meaning of peace as part of an art project. Their creations and a ceremony this morning served to commemorate the International Day of Peace, which was yesterday.

This year was a first for Woodmoor. Dozens of other schools in Baltimore County and beyond also participated in Pinwheels for Peace, an annual event that originated with two Florida art teachers in 2005. The art installation project allows students to "make a public visual statement about their feelings about war/ peace/ tolerance/ cooperation/ harmony/ unity and, in some way, maybe, awaken the public and let them know what the next generation is thinking," according to the Pinwheels Web site. "This is not political."

Woodmoor art teacher Beverly Humbert and school social worker Kristina Millian spearheaded the project, something that Principal Edith Howard said she was pleased to take on.  She addressed students before they stuck their pinwheels in the ground, along the outline of the peace symbol.

There’ll be some video from this morning here later today, so stay tuned…. Some of the kids shared their thoughts and had some interesting things to say.