SEATTLE - First and second graders at the Evergreen School in Shoreline are learning about compassion.

They learn through role playing and they talk about their "compassion" heroes.

"Some of them are like Harriett Tubman and Abraham Lincoln and people like them," said Charlotte Zinda, age 8.

"Compassion means being really nice when someone really, really needs it," said Macy Quigg, age 7.

"I think I have been compassionate my whole life except when I was a baby and I spit my pacifier across the room," said Toby Faber, age 8.

The school is integrating a compassion curriculum that was developed by "Seeds of Compassion," a nonprofit that's bringing his holiness, the Dalai Lama to Seattle.

Lama Tenzin Dhonden is the organization's co-founder and a personal emissary of peace to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

"This will be a historic event for the children in the presence of his holiness the Dalai Lama, and he will try his best to simplify the concept of compassion so children will understand," he said.

More than 14,000 school children, including those from the Evergreen School, will get the opportunity to hear the Nobel Peace Prize winner speak.

"Especially when it comes to the children he will speak about the love and the friendships among each others," said Lama Tenzin.

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"I think I have been compassionate my whole life except when I was a baby and I spit my pacifier across the room," said Toby Faber, age 8.

"It is unbelievably thrilling for our kids to see the person that they've studied and talked about and thought about a great deal," said Evergreen Principal Margaret Wagner.

"For one thing, he's never angry, he always finds a way to work things out with peace.  He's a real hero to me," said Mila Kopp, age 8.

At Evergreen, learning compassion at an early age is as important as reading, writing and arithmetic.

"I think emotional and social development, developing empathy and compassion, is what makes us human beings and gives us our humanity," said Wagner. "And so I think the combination of the heart and the head, I don't see how you can educate children without pulling it together."

The hope is that by planting the seeds of compassion early on, these seeds will be nurtured and will continue to grow.

"That is what I'm hoping in the end, that they will become really global citizens that will have a great deal of compassion across the globe," said Wagner.

"I think you can get a little bit of compassion out of everybody. Everybody is somewhat compassionate," said Mila.