Way to Peace

Mission

The Way To Peace Project seeks to decrease crime, prejudice and violence it its communities by offering programs that promote character education through a multi-disciplined approach.

Existing Programs

Club E.L.L.I.S (Educating Little Leaders In Solutions).
In the summer of 2006, according to the principal at Ellis Arts Academy, Ellis had a high number of student referrals out-of-class for misbehavior, disrespect, truancy, disruption, fighting, etc. The number of referrals roughly equaled three for every child enrolled. The principal felt there was a tremendous need for personal self-management and general social skills among the school body.

In meeting with the principal at Ellis, we decided that the approach would be two-fold. First we would develop a strategy to directly address the cause of students getting referrals, and two, provide an alternative to out of school suspensions, which affects the student’s academics.

As a result, The Way To Peace Project designed a program to teach the students at Ellis that is the right of every individual, regardless of age, to govern what belongs to them, whether an object or their own bodies. By recognizing that others also have a right to make decisions about their belongings, students are taught empathy as well.

Students also learn to have control over their thoughts, feelings and actions so they may gain the necessary skills to make positive decisions concerning themselves and others. They learn that their choices can lead to positive or negative consequences. They also learn that their ability to control themselves affects the outcome of everyday situations. By making self-control a part of our students character, they develop values that will help them develop into stable citizens that benefit society.

This initiative started with a 10,00 grant from the Barber Coleman Management Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, and as result, The Way to Peace Project is able to go into 10 classrooms; 3 Kindergarten, 3 1st grade, and 3 3rd grade classes, for 40 minutes to teach our curriculum to mo less than 200 students. Also, we have had over 40 students sent to us from grades 4th through 8th as an alternative to suspension, which there is a much greater demand.

The Way To Peace Project also trains the school administration and teachers, which total over 60 people, in the language and basic principals taught by our curriculum to establish a universal language and code of conduct that everyone agrees with.