By Eliza Hallabeck

"Mr Peace," who's real name is Kevin Szawala, presented two assemblies at Hawley Elementary School on Friday, December 9.

Hawley physical education teacher Doug Michlovitz introduced Mr Peace at the first assembly, saying he is a motivational speaker spreading a message about peace, love, and compassion. The assemblies were presented by the school's PTA.

"It's awesome to be here with you guys this morning," Mr Peace said to the students, introducing himself as a youth speaker and youth minister from Michigan. He performed a hip-hop song to ready the students for the presentation.

Mr Peace said the topic of the day was diversity. His first presentation was geared to the younger grade levels at Hawley, as his second presentation was for the older grade levels.

Hawley School PTA Cultural Arts Chair Erin Masotta said the PTA chose to the presentation to coincide with Hawley's Kindness Month effort in December

"We have to be able to appreciate diversity, what is on the outside... We also have appreciate what is on the inside," said Mr Peace.

During the assembly, Mr Peace shared stories with the students, from his experience and from stories he has heard from others. He also told the students if they do not accept everyone as being worth the same worth, then it can hurt other people. Instead he told them to let love, kindness, and peace into their hearts, which he said can also impact the hearts of others.

"We need to show human kindness," said Mr Peace, who later shared a video that demonstrated how one act of kindness inspired others to complete kind acts, too.

After watching the video Mr Peace asked students what they learned from watching it. One student said, "One act of kindness, if it starts, it never stops." Another student said, "Even a little ordinary act of kindness it can do a lot."

Mr Peace also talked to the students about being open to making new friends, even when someone may at first seem different than them.

"If we close our minds and our hearts... We close our minds and our hearts from maybe meeting some amazing friends," he said near the end of the presentation.