The Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School (RAPCS) recently held a Project PEACE Climate Development Institute for 21 of their students. The RAPCS CEO Lawrence Jones, 4 RAPCS teachers: Reginald Fields, LaShawn Freeman, Donya Gibson, and Jessica Richards along with the RAPCS Counselor Carolyn Zimmer worked in conjunction with Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Coordinator, David Keller Trevaksis, Esquire, Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Office Intern, Chanel Broadus, Leon Stimpson, and 2004 Overbrook High School Mock Trial Team member, Juanita Robinson. This wonderful group of leaders worked intensely with an enormous amount of tenacity to facilitate this 15 session learning experience.

Project PEACE (Peaceful Endings through Attorneys, Children, and Educators) is the peer mediation program co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Each day focused on the process of mediation and how to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. The students involved included the selected individuals of the first RAPCS Peer Mediation Team, beginning this 2004/2005 school year.

In addition to learning about peer mediation, the students also had workshop sessions on the implementation and amendment process of school rules. The students reviewed and interpreted the RAPCS code of conduct and worked in groups to determine which rules should be amended to better suit the faculty and student body.

As part of the learning experience, the students took trips to City Hall and the Criminal Justice Center to learn how the law works. They observed bail hearings and took a tour of the inmate holding cells. The experience was one that will never be forgotten. Furthermore, the students had an opportunity to tour the National Liberty Museum and National Constitution Center, observe mediation at the Municipal Court, speak with Legislators, and attend a play at the Freedom Theater.

This astute group demonstrated a high level of interest in learning about the dynamics of conflict and ways to manage this problem through positive communication skills. On a daily basis they conveyed there enjoyment of the program and eagerness to implement there newly learned expertise amongst their peers.

On October 13, 2004, there will be a Project PEACE Peer Mediation Team Kickoff, in which the students will give a community presentation of the program to many dignitaries and Pennsylvania Bar Association leaders of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.