After hearing of the many security concerns at the Sochi Winter Olympics, students at Chevy Chase Elementary School wanted to send a message of peace.

The students decided to make origami cranes, based on the Japanese legend that anyone who folds 1,000 cranes will be granted a wish. Their wish is for a peaceful Olympic games.

With help from a few folks traveling to Russia and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, more than 2,000 of the paper cranes will arrive in Sochi. Van Hollen visited the school Wednesday morning to help see off a second batch of about 1,000 cranes headed to the U.S. Olympic Committee stationed there.

On Tuesday, Chevy Chase Elementary Principal Jody Smith tweeted a photo of U.S. curler Allison Pottinger with one of the cranes.

Each one has a message written by the students. Smith said it took about two days to fold 2,009 cranes and all students participated.

A group of students walked Van Hollen through the process on Wednesday and helped him inscribe a message that will be sent via cargo plane to Russia, hopefully before the snow starts falling Wednesday night in the D.C. area.

The cranes also have a special Twitter account.