Local humanitarian Kwabi Amoah-Forson visited Goodman Middle School in his signature blue Peace Bus on World Kindness Day, to kick off a food and hygiene item donation drive called Fill the Peace Bus. The assembly was sponsored by Communities in School Peninsula (CISP), and Goodman leadership students launched the drive. 

Goodman students are collecting items to fill the Peace Bus with hygiene items, non-perishable food and apparel like warm socks, hats and blankets. Donation bins are located inside the school through November 21, and all items will be donated to our local shelters and unhoused people.

“We really wanted to spread some peace to the community,” said 8th grader Marphee K. “Our teacher Mrs. Kaiser has always wanted to meet Kwabi, and Kwabi really believes that peace is really important to people and it should be spread around to everyone.”

Kwabi high fived and fist bumped students around the gym and talked about how “peace is the most important thing in the world.” Then students shared what peace and kindness meant to them and how they could spread peace at school and beyond. At the end of the assembly, students yelled after Kwabi: “I am great! I am powerful! I am peaceful!”

“Peace is a good thing, and spreading peace in middle school is great because people are going through stuff,” said 8th grader Austin G. “Peace can help change how people act toward each other.”

Last year, Kwabi received the Tacoma Peace Prize and attended the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo, Norway, and he regularly helps feed hungry students and provides presents during the holidays. He inspired students about kindness, belonging, unity and being brave.

“It’s exciting knowing that you’re out there helping people in need, helping people that don’t have opportunities like you do,” said 8th grader Addie S. “The peace bus is about taking donations and giving them to Kwabi, and he will take them to people and kids who are needy.”

CISP partners with Peninsula School District to provide students across the whole school opportunities, aligning with school goals. One of Goodman’s school goals is building a sense of belonging. 

“To build peace, we must build belonging, and Kwabi and the Peace Bus sparked meaningful dialogue and conversations and challenged students to remember the power of peace,” said CISP site coordinator Annie Schuster. “I feel so fortunate that our students got to hear from this dynamic speaker.”