Ocean City Intermediate School expanded on a meaningful project that connects students through art, writing and a hope for peace
Ocean City, NJ – After making 1,000 origami birds last year, Ocean City Intermediate School students and staff soared even higher with this year’s Peace Crane Project.
OCIS turned the globally recognized project into a true cultural exchange, trading letters and paper cranes with peers in Mallorca, Spain.
Student Assistance Counselor Eileen Conover brought the initiative to OCIS last year to promote peace and understanding within the district through art, reading and writing. Students and staff spread the positive message by hanging cranes throughout the school.
The Peace Crane Project was created in 2012 by a former Disney animator, who was inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl affected by the Hiroshima bombing. Sadako attempted to fold 1,000 cranes before she died of leukemia, and her community carried on her legacy, donating cranes to places around the world in need of healing.
“Our students are so excited to be a part of the Peace Crane Project,” said Conover. “Besides developing their love of learning and writing skills, they are becoming more aware of the world around them. They are realizing that a creation as simple as a paper crane can have an impact that is felt thousands of miles away.”
OCIS teachers deepen the meaning of the Peace Crane Project by integrating social and emotional lessons that promote understanding, communication, and respect.
Peace cranes made by OCIS students that were received by other students Spain.
This year, teachers also welcomed the opportunity to connect with peers across the globe. The Peace Crane Project maintains an international database of schools and classrooms to facilitate crane exchanges. OCIS joined the database and ultimately arranged to exchange cranes with peers in Mallorca. Mallorcan students primarily speak Catalan with Spanish as a second language, which gave OCIS students an authentic opportunity for language learning and cultural appreciation. Students in Christie Pontari’s Spanish classes responded to letters in Spanish, applying the vocabulary and grammar they had been studying throughout the year.
“This international communication served as a real-world application of language instruction,” said OCIS principal Matthew Engle. “It also opened the door for grade-specific projects that enriched both the curriculum and the students' global perspectives. The crane project became a symbol of connection between students and teachers, between communities, and even across continents.”
Through each grade-specific activity, students were practicing language skills as well as learning to view the world through a broader, more empathetic lens.
Fourth graders embraced Mexican art by studying alebrijes, brightly colored folk-art sculptures of fantastical creatures. They crafted their own alebrijes, shared photos of their creations, and described them in their letters to Mallorca.
Sixth graders focused on self-expression, writing personal introductions that included descriptions of their personalities, appearances, and hobbies.
Seventh graders shared insights into daily life through food, detailing what they eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—fostering cultural curiosity and conversation around shared human experiences.
“The Peace Crane Project is a shining example of how a creative and compassionate approach to learning can bring out the best in students,” Conover said.