"Name three ways to actively listen!"

Questions not normally heard on a game show were featured in a unique show-down this week between students from two schools in New York and one in Detroit, who challenged each other to an afternoon of dispute resolution, via Skype video, at the Partnership with Children office in Manhattan. Selecting from categories such as Vocabulary, Steps and Skills, the two teams competed on their knowledge of what it takes to keep the peace. After Detroit pulled ahead to the final win, they were roundly applauded by their vanquished peers in New York.

The Peer Mediation Summit was the brainchild of Carolyn Parker and Ruthie Kalai, as a project of the Center for Capacity Building. The two invested several months of work to create the Jeopardy Board, develop the questions, make arrangements, schedule agendas and set up the Skype session (kudos to technical support from Office Manager Daniel Killpack.

One remarkable aspect of  the summit was the sense of rapport that developed almost immediately between students from the two different NY high schools, who had not previously met. According to George Lavezzary this is a great example of how peer mediation skills can give kids the kind of social skills that break through barriers and encourage friendships. As Janette Cruz and David Ortiz readied their students to leave, many hugs were exchanged an e-mail buddy list was spontaneously started up.

While peer mediation has long been a part of our efforts in the New York Public School system, this model has served as a pilot project in Detroit starting last Fall. The participating schools were Marta Valle High and High School for Global Citizenship in Brooklyn, and the Golightly Career and Technical Center in Detroit.  The summit was a great opportunity for our students to show off their knowledge and practice their skills in friendly competition.

"Peer mediation training gives kids in both New York and Detroit the tools they need to cope with negativity in their lives, to take ownership of their behavior, and creates a safer, more positive school environment," said Carolyn Parker, director of the Center for Capacity Building.