Richmond youth joins path for peace

By Melissa HamiltonPrint Story | Email Story
RICHMOND — A 10-year-old boy from the Berkshires visited the United Nations on Jan. 30 to learn about “A Season of Nonviolence.” The season, from Jan. 30 to April 4, is a national 64-day educational, media and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating nonviolence as a way to heal, transform and empower lives and communities. Inspired by the 50th anniversary and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the international event honors their vision for an empowered, nonviolent world. Topaz Ross Kelso attends elementary School in Richmond where his favorite subjects are reading, math and science. He is also a singer, who performs solo and with his father (Mark Kelso) and has recently appeared on the Arts and Entertainment channel. He said his interest in nonviolence was sparked through his family. His mother has been attending a spiritual caucus at the U.N. and invited him along to this event. After taking the train to New York City, Topaz and his mother, Arti, walked to the U.N. building. About 500 youths were in attendance. The Agape International Choir, from Los Angeles, opened the event with music. The Susan Wagner High School presented a conflict resolution and action project for schools. During the presentation, two children presented conflicting views, and others stood up and suggested solutions, quoting words from Gandhi and King. The examples were designed to show how people can courageously intervene to develop social sensitivity. “Having a conflict resolution connects student to student,” said Arti Roots Kelso. “In conflicts, both the perpetrator and the victim often feel alone and uncared for. Through resolution, these students can become part of the solution rather than the problem.” The Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith delivered the keynote address on “A Season of Nonviolence.” Both Roots Kelso and Topaz described the speech as “inspiring.” “He spoke of how every little step towards nonviolent solutions is backed by multitudes, all of those who have come before and worked for peace. Consider the lineage of Gandhi and King, and we never need to feel alone,” Roots Kelso said. The address was followed by a Gandhi-King multimedia tribute, “Bombay to Birmingham,” and a World Peace Flag Ceremony, with youths displaying flags to represent the national community. Students were invited to sign a ‘Stand Up and Lead, Pledge of Service’ before leaving the event. The pledge asked them to seek to increase their knowledge and practice of nonviolence in their communities. The Youth Peace Network also invited students to join a Web site, youth@worldpeace.org that connects people from around the world to create new ideas for positive change in the world. Topaz signed the pledge and said he was invited to be an intern with Pathways to Peace. “When the youth of the world feel they have a voice in the system, they know they matter, because they can participate,” said Michael Johnson, a Pathways to Peace leader. “The more youth who get the message about nonviolence, the more people who will be inspired to create positive change and live more peacefully into adulthood.” Topaz, asked what he might like to do when he grows up, said, “Maybe be a scientist and work in a little lab. I don’t want any high-risk jobs like photographing sharks and diving into caves or underground rivers.” Right now, he said, his goals are to start his own album, practice clarinet and join the beginners’ band at Richmond School. Information about the Season for Nonviolence: www.season-for-nonviolence.net . To learn more about Topaz Roots Kelso and his music: www.muddyangel.com .
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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