BALTIMORE (WJZ)—It’s not always easy to stand up for what you believe in, but one local school is doing just that by putting up a symbol of peace for everyone to see.

Monique Griego has more on the peace pole at St. Ambrose Catholic School.

These students aren’t just living in this world. They’re trying to change it.  

“The world really needs peace,” said Kayon Hudley, student. “We feel as though here at St. Ambrose we need to show what we mean about peace.”

They’re showing it by putting up a peace pole in front of St. Ambrose Church and Catholic School.

The pole has the words “May peace prevail on Earth” written in different languages from their community.

“We try to find a way the kids can see something stable and solid to remind them to be peacemakers because most live right here in Park Heights,” said Father Paul Zaborowski, St. Ambrose Church.

Zaborowski says he’s hoping to instill a message in these kids that will help them fight off the problems they may face in their neighborhood.

“Gang activity, drugs, shootings, things that when we were children we’d never thought we’d encounter, but they’re encountering unfortunately in a very intimate way,” he said.

It’s a message the students seem to understand.

“All the crime and stuff, people killing people over this and that–that’s part of why we’re doing this to show people what peace really means,” Hudley said.

The peace pole was positioned so that everyone who drives along Park Heights Avenue will see it and know what these students stand for.

“The message we want there is that this is a peaceful place,” Zaborowski said.

The students want the pole’s message to extend beyond this community to the entire world. They plan to help spread the word any way they can.

The peace pole has messages written in Japanese, Spanish, English and Swahili.