One Thousand Cranes to Come to Plymouth Again

Two years ago, Mattea Powers, now a third-year student, created the ‘1,000 Cranes for Peace Project.’ The goal was to make 1,000 cranes, and with the help of 21 student organizations and staff, 1,650 cranes were made that year. Powers is bringing the project back to campus this semester, hoping to display the cranes in the Diversity Window outside of the PSU Bookstore in April. She is fully confident that over 1,000 cranes will be made again this year.

The project was inspired by the story of a little girl named Sadako Sasaki, who lived in Hiroshima, Japan when the atomic bomb dropped in 1945. 10 years after, Sadako Sasaki was diagnosed with leukemia. After hearing of an old Japanese legend saying that if 1,000 paper cranes are folded, a wish will be granted, so she began to fold them. Her wish was to be well again, and to attain peace and healing to all the victims of the world.

“I feel that this can bring the community together to put more peace than anger in the world. This is important to me because this is an eye-catching way to get everyone involved. So far, I have many student organizations and staff/faculty from all around campus reaching out to me with such excitement about participating.” Powers said in an email. Not only does she hope this project can bring peace to this campus, but she also hopes it brings a feeling of safety and equality. 

“Since global violence, attacks, and immigrant concerns keep rising, PSU wants to help alleviate the worries that so many have. PSU wants everyone on this campus to feel welcomed, safe, and equal. One way our campus could achieve this can be by completing the 1,000 paper cranes project in honor of Sadako Sasaki’s wish to attain world peace. Making 1,000 cranes is a bold and dramatic statement for peace, and healing throughout the world and can hold a powerful statement on our campus as well.” the project’s Facebook page, ‘1,000 Cranes Peace Project - Plymouth State’ said in a post on February 24th, 2017.

Because of its large presence on this campus, a lot of hard work and dedication is put into this project. Powers sets up times to meet with organizations and staff to go to their meetings and into their offices to teach them how to make cranes. She makes time to respond to people who reach out to her about participating, and who ask further questions about the project. For each person interested in participating, a “cranes kit” is created for them, which includes sheets of origami paper, and an instruction sheet. She also plans to set up a table in the Fireplace Lounge soon.

She credits her supervisor, Kathy Tardif, Catholic campus minister, who has helped her with preparation. Kathy has made sure that she has all the materials to make the kits and to have the project run smoothly. “Without her, I would not be able to have the project be as wonderful as it is.” Powers said.

Anyone who is interested in participating in the project can reach out to Mattea Powers at mp1121@plymouth.edu.