MONTPELIER — On Tuesday, a delegation from Vergennes Union High School brought the banners from all nine of the school’s Sept. 21 Peace One Day celebrations to Montpelier, where they were hung for display in the Statehouse cafeteria.
The 2013 banner — which like the others was signed by students, staff members and community members as a pledge toward peaceful behavior — was dedicated to late Rep. Greg Clark of Vergennes, who before his untimely demise in November 2012 had spoken to school officials and students about displaying the banners at the Statehouse.
The annual Peace One Day celebration at VUHS is an all-school assembly that honors the United Nations International Day of Peace, established in 2001 as an international day of cease-fire.
Rep. Warren Van Wyck, who was appointed to replace Clark in Montpelier and came to the VUHS Peace One Day celebration this past September, worked with students and state officials to make the display a reality.  
Van Wyck explained to the General Assembly on Tuesday morning the purpose of the student-designed banners and how the VUHS Peace One Day committee dedicated the 2013 banner in Clark’s memory.
Van Wyck then recognized the four VUHS students who were present at the assembly with Clark’s wife, Eileen Clark — they were Max Bicknell, April Ambrose, Orion Chabot and Emilee Trudo, who was the 2013 banner designer and maker.
According to the sixth member of the VUHS delegation, special educator Lee Shorey, the students received a standing ovation from the full assembly.
Van Wyck then escorted them to the cafeteria for a meal, and then a tour of the capitol building.
Shorey also noted that Vergennes Union Elementary School teacher Lisa McGuire and VUHS teacher Deb White handled sewing and grommet alterations on the banners so they could be displayed on the Statehouse walls.