SPIRIT OF HARMONY; WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL PUPILS MARCH TO PROCLAIM THEIR UNITY.

Byline: Jennifer Hamm Staff Writer

In an effort to show a spirit of racial harmony, Wilson Middle School students held an after-school Unity March on Friday.

``Wilson is the world. We are America,'' said teacher Gerry Lancaster as the crowd erupted into applause. ``We stand here unified, together as one.''

More than 800 students participated in the event, held in part to counter the effect of news last fall that a racially motivated attack had been planned.

Students at the ethnically diverse school speak 55 languages, and the student body includes a large number of students of Armenian and Latino backgrounds. Enhancing their show of togetherness Friday, many students wore blue Wilson Knight T-shirts and carried posters with unity themes.

One poster read: ``Community is unity. Together we are one.''

Eighth-grader Tom Mirzoyan decided to stay after school to walk because he thinks ``discrimination and racism is just wrong.'' The 13-year-old Glendale resident wants his city to know that students get along at Wilson.

``These people are all here saying, We're not racists and what we're doing is a good thing.''

After hearing speeches, the students marched through the area around the school. When they returned to the campus, many stayed for pizza.

The Unity March was the most recent effort by students to prove to the community they have harmony in their diversity. Students designed and made unity flags in their homerooms during recent weeks.

Many also mailed letters to local media organizations explaining how well students of different backgrounds work together.

``They were very concerned that the public was getting the wrong image of the school,'' said Annette Zarian, a teacher specialist at Wilson Middle School.

In September, four eighth-graders planned to attack a group of Armenian students, said Sgt. Rick Young of the Glendale Police Department. School officials learned about the fight when they found a note in a student's backpack describing the plan.

Although the note made reference to white supremacy, police found no evidence of the racist movement in the youth's home, Young said.

The fight never happened because administrators intervened.

``It's your typical disagreement that every kid goes through of where they sit and who they hang with,'' said Young. ``This probably would have happened if they were all the same race. They didn't like each other for whatever reason.''

Eighth-grader Alexis Boyd said she took part in the march because she wants to be sure people don't have the wrong idea about Wilson Middle School.

``We should show them that we actually are united,'' said Boyd, 13. ``It's actually a good school.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo: (1) Pupils from Wilson Middle School in Glendale march together in the area around the campus to show that their school is united in its diversity.

(2) Wilson Middle School pupils join together at an after-school march for unity and harmony.

Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News