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OPENING SPEAKER TO HONOR MEMORY OF SLAIN SANTANA STUDENT
By Marisa Kezirian
August 2009 – On September 26, The Promise of Peace Conference, celebrating 20 years of Peace Patrol, will be held in Chula Vista. The opening speaker, Dr. Carol L. Macagba (photo, left), will honor the memory of her nephew, Bryan Macagba Zuckor, who lost his life during the March 201 Santana High School shootings in East County.
The Santana and Granite Hills High School shootings drew global attention to the need for programs such as Peace Patrol to prevent school violence. It also fostered activism locally to avoid future tragedies.
In March, East County resident Evelyn (Evy) Ponce, was presented with the Peacemaker of the Year Award by the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary chapter, as East County magazine previously reported. She was recognized for her hard work and dedication with Peace Patrol and Bullies Beware programs.
Peace Patrol is a research-validated violence prevention program that empowers youth, families, and communities with knowledge, strategies, and skills for effective problem solving. Peace Patrol had expanded from just a classroom-based program to a system of integrated programs for pre-school through high school aged students. In 2001 the non-profit 501c-3 corporation, “Interactions for Peace” was formed. Following the formation of Interactions for Peace was “The Primary Peacemakers Program” is for pre-school through second grade students, and the Bullies Beware! Companion program is targeted to upper grades and middle school students. Peace Patrol teams can now be found in hundreds of schools across the United States, Canada, the Philippines, and Uganda. Peace Patrol in the Philippines is now dedicated to the memory of Zuckor.
You are able to join the Peace Patrol team by learning how to engage youth in both peaceful interactions and community service while attending this conference. There will also be opportunities to meet the AmeriCorpsNCCC National Director of Projects and Partnerships, the I4P Philippines and Uganda Directors, and many experts in the field of violence prevention. In addition, there will be time for networking with others in order to develop community connections and worldwide partnerships through Peace Patrol.
Examples of breakout sessions and afternoon discussion groups include:
• Ability Awareness in Action: The Politics of Peaceful Interactions and Disability
• Introducing Restorative Practice in Schools
• Examining Bullying Behavior in the Upper Grades
• Peace in the Environment—Making Connections
• Building a Successful Peace Patrol
• 1991-2009: Sustaining a District-wide Program
• Peace Patrol Plus…the next steps
• Serving Others: A Community Partnership
• Cooperative Game Activities for Youth
The conference, which brings together students, parents, educators and community organizers, will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on September 26 at Corky McMillin School, 1201 Santa Cora Ave. in Chula Vista.
Registration is REQUIRED: for more information go to www.interactionsforpeace.org, email i4p@cox.net or call 619-421-5046
Marisa Kezirian is a communications major at San Diego State University and a journalism intern with East County Magazine.
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