HANOVER, Jamaica—Sandy Bay Primary School in Hanover has emerged as the winner of the Trees for Peace competition, an initiative of the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.

The announcement was met with elation by staff, students, and community members, who had worked tirelessly to transform a once-empty plot into a flourishing Peace Garden. The awards ceremony took place at the school on Thursday, June 12.

Other winners include George Headley Primary School, which won the primary school urban prize; New Forest High School, which was announced as the high school winner; and Avondale Preparatory School, which received the early childhood award. Meanwhile, Maryland Primary and Infant School won the social media award with more than 600 votes, and Merlene Ottey High School won the resilience prize.

Eugenie Simpson, principal of the school, expressed enthusiasm for her school’s victory.

“This Peace Garden initiative…highlights the powerful role education plays in violence prevention by engaging students in positive meaningful actions. We plant seeds not only in the soil but in their minds. Seeds that will one day bear the fruits of empathy, cooperation and conflict resolutions,” she said.

“We are elated, excited and feel accomplished,” said teacher Sidean Samuels-Jackson, guidance counsellor at the school who helped lead the project alongside colleague teacher Annique Artwell.

“This space was just a blank canvas with a single mango tree. But we poured in time, energy, and love. Students, staff, the groundsman, the principal, parents and community members all pitched in,” informed Artwell.

The Peace Garden, now adorned with flowers, affirmations, and interactive features, serves as a calming space where students can reflect, resolve conflicts, and reconnect with themselves. “It’s more than just a garden,” Artwell stressed. “It’s a healing space. We wanted students to know that even when they feel overwhelmed, there’s a peaceful place just for them.”

The garden features an expression wall for creative release, words of affirmation such as “I am kind” and “I am empowered”, and quiet nooks for rest and self-reflection. It is also inclusive, welcoming students with special needs.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Dr Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA, praised Sandy Bay Primary for their remarkable achievement.

“Sandy Bay Primary School, you have shown us what is possible when a school community comes together with a shared vision,” Dr Ward said. “Your Peace Garden will bloom for years to come, reminding all who see it that peace is not just an ideal—it is something we can plant, nurture, and grow together.”

“Seeing young hands working together to create more beautiful and peaceful school environments fills us with hope for the future. These gardens are living symbols of harmony and cooperation.”

She also commended all 120 schools that entered the competition.

Guest speaker Dr Michele Walden-Pinnock, regional director in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, delivered an inspiring address on the deeper meaning of the gardens.

“When you plant peace, you grow hope,” she said. “This Peace Garden is a symbol of nonviolence, friendship, and growth. Let us build a culture where we settle differences not with fists or harsh words, but with understanding and respect.”

The VPA’s Trees for Peace initiative aims to foster peace-building practices in schools by encouraging students and educators to create green spaces dedicated to conflict resolution, mindfulness, and community engagement.

Despite challenges such as limited water supply during dry periods, the Sandy Bay team remained resilient. “We don’t dwell on the problems,” Samuels-Jackson noted. “Instead, we look for solutions. That’s what we teach our students to be both peacemakers and problem-solvers.”

The Peace Garden has become a beloved space among the students, who eagerly help maintain it. “They ask to come; they help paint, plant, and clean, sometimes we don’t even have to call them. They come looking for us,”Artwell said with a smile.

The VPA acknowledged the support of corporate sponsors such as the JPS Foundation, CB Facey Foundation, Barita Foundation, CARI-MED Group, the Planning Institute of Jamaica and Island Dairies, which contributed to cash prizes and donations valued at more than $1 million.

Other stakeholders who made the competition possible include the Forestry Department, the Early Childhood Commission, the Jamaica 4-H Club, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Brainware, the Ministry of National Security and the National Environment and Planning Agency.