one indy – Peace Learning Center

26 10, 2017

Inside Our Programs: Lew Wallace #107

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:41:40-04:00October 26th, 2017|Tags: one indy, SEL, Social and Emotional Learning|

Any visitor is a special treat to a group of kindergarten students. But these kids don't have any old visitor today. "Ms. Maria! Ms. Maria!," they chirp in glee as Maria Ruiz, Youth Development Facilitator enters their classroom at Lew Wallace #107. She sits on the floor, in the circle that all their activities take place in, and waits patiently as they take their seats around the circular rug. Without saying a word Maria pulls out a singing bowl and taps the side of it causing a ring to emanate across the classroom. Immediately the wiggles and giggles cease and each student begins taking deep, calming peace breaths. After three of these breaths, where you can literally feel the room's energy mellow, she begins an empowerment chant that the kids clearly know by heart as they join in. "I love myself." "I loooooooovvvvvvveeeee myself." "Because I am smart." "I am strong." "I am kind." "I can help." "Yes, I can." "Yes, we can." "Si se puede." "Because I'm a good kid." "I'm a good kid." It's been a few weeks since Maria has seen this class; this is their first week back from fall break. She pulls out a stuffed animal, a black poodle with red bows in its hair. This is their speaking piece. When anyone in the circle wants to speak they have to have the speaking piece in their hands and everyone wants a chance to

11 12, 2015

PLC receives $800,000 Lilly Endowment grant

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:00-04:00December 11th, 2015|Tags: grants, lilly endowment, media, one indy|

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2015 Contact: Tiffany Tibbot Director of Operations Phone: 765.977.9626 ttibbot@peacelearningcenter.org Indianapolis-based Peace Learning Center receives $800,000 Lilly Endowment grant Two-year grant will support strategic goals including restorative practices, expanding school programs for parents and teachers and increasing service opportunities for students INDIANAPOLIS, IN– Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded Peace Learning Center an $800,000 grant to support its efforts to educate students, teachers, and parents in conflict resolution and social emotional learning skills. PLC’s education programs are designed to improve academic outcomes while reducing school discipline problems. The grant will also support a major partnership with ACT OUT – an interactive theater troupe directed by Claude McNeal Productions – and create more program partnerships with underserved area schools. Peace Learning Center’s approach incorporates communication skills, bullying prevention, diversity appreciation and conflict resolution techniques for students, teachers and as many family members as possible. The goal of Peace Learning Center and Act Out’s program partnership is to improve academic performance and build character through relationship and conflict management education. “Lilly Endowment’s support will enable us to expand proven programs that help youth build conflict resolution and critical thinking skills and deepen their commitment to education,” said Tim Nation, co-founder and executive director of Peace Learning Center. During the next two years, Peace Learning Center will create partnerships with schools that serve students who live in six neighborhoods that are high-priority areas due to high levels of crime

19 11, 2015

Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Grant

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:02-04:00November 19th, 2015|Tags: grant, one indy|

PEACE LEARNING CENTER ANNOUNCES GRANT FROM THE NINA MASON PULLIAM CHARITABLE TRUST Indianapolis, IN – November 19, 2015 - Peace Learning Center has received a grant totaling $125,000 over two years from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust to support its One Indy initiative at Indianapolis elementary schools serving students who live in high crime neighborhoods. One Indy is designed in partnership with Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to serve students, parents, and teachers at schools in six focus neighborhoods. These neighborhoods were identified by the Public Safety Dept. as areas in Indianapolis with the highest incidents of crime, code violations and city interventions. Children who live in Indy’s six focus neighborhoods are six times more likely to be victims of crime than children who live in any other neighborhood in our city. Studies show the resulting psychological stresses caused by this increased exposure to violence can lead to academic difficulties, disruptive behaviors, and lifelong challenges which perpetuate cycles of poverty and violence. The three-year initiative will be implemented at four IPS schools this year: Schools 51 (Near Northside), 58 (Eastside), 39 (South Eastside), and 15 (Near Eastside). Peace Learning Center plans to expand the initiative to additional schools in the focus areas in following years based on the success of this year’s programs. The biggest focus of the program will be on the youngest students, those in kindergarten and first grade, due to research which indicates prevention is better than intervention and,

30 09, 2015

Indy Star Article

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:06-04:00September 30th, 2015|Tags: one indy, tim nation|

IPS 56 photo by Maureen Gilmer, Indy Star IPS students learn how to raise their kindness quotient Indianapolis Star, Sept. 14 by Maureen C. Gilmer Click here to read the article. Peace Learning Center in Eagle Creek Park teaches lessons in conflict resolution, compassion, and anti-bullying. It isn't very often that a news article perfectly describes what we do at Peace Learning Center AND why we do it. That's why we are excited to share this recent Indianapolis Star article with all of you. It showcases many of the critical components in our programs which we developed during the last 18 years based on research-based best practices and our own experience teaching people of all ages how to resolve conflicts without violence, maintain healthy relationships, and communicate well with others. This article also demonstrates the range of audiences we serve - preschool children, k-5th grade students, teenagers, families, teachers, organizations, and corporations. Finally, it describes how through our new One Indy initiative we are bringing the best of everything we have to offer to schools serving students who face tremendous challenges in their lives - students who deserve peaceful, supportive communities that help them achieve success in the classroom and throughout their lives. This is our city, these are our children. We are calling this initiative One Indy because it means we care about each other and we are working together to create a better future for

30 09, 2015

One Indy Family Programs

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:06-04:00September 30th, 2015|Tags: family programs, one indy, unique gifts|

ONE INDY FAMILY PROGRAMS And 7 Things You Should Always Say to Family Today, right now - all families face challenges that can and do put terrific strains on establishing and maintaining harmony and peace. That is why we decided to offer PLC multi-family workshops throughout the year at each of our One Indy partner schools. Through all PLC family workshops, we help families understand how to grow and nurture the love that binds them. These interactive, non-threatening, and non-judgmental workshops start by focusing on the positive qualities in each family and highlight the unique gifts each family member adds to their small community. The goal is to help families understand they are working to make what is good even better. Then, the workshops continue the process of creating stronger families by gently peeling back the layers of - sometimes unnoticed - reasons for the breakdown in communication. Everyone is held accountable. Click here to download a list of Family Workshops that will be offered to families of students at each of our One Indy schools. This year's One Indy schools are IPS #15, #39, #51, and #58. As you can tell, we believe most families already have everything they need to make their family even stronger. Our workshops are designed to help them rediscover what it is they love about each other. If you'd like to try this in your own family, you might want to start with this...

27 05, 2015

IBJ’s 40 Under 40 Top Choice

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:16-04:00May 27th, 2015|Tags: grants, one indy|

When asked to choose the most innovative and worthy cause in Indianapolis to support, Indianapolis Business Journal's 40 Under 40 chose Peace Learning Center as their top pick! We are a proud recipient of the Indianapolis Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Central Indiana Community Foundation's $20,000 grant. Check out the article below.

9 04, 2015

Samerian Foundation Grant

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:20-04:00April 9th, 2015|Tags: cindy simon-skjodt, one indy, samerian foundation|

Peace Learning Center is pleased to announce a $175,000 five year grant from the Samerian Foundation to support its One Indy initiative to provide extensive peace education training at schools located in the six Indianapolis neighborhoods which have been identified as those with the highest incidents of crime and code violations. Many thanks to the Simon-Skjodt family for their ongoing support and investment in peace education!

13 02, 2015

PLC’s OneIndy Project

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:26-04:00February 13th, 2015|Tags: one indy, peace education, violent crime prevention, youth voice|

Thanks to our partnership with the Indianapolis Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, we had excellent media coverage of our presentation Tuesday, February 10th at the Regional Operations Center. OneIndy targets 9 elementary schools and 6 high schools in the six focus neighborhoods identified by DPS as places where you are six hundred percent more likely to be a victim of crime. Four youth from our programs at John Marshall High School and Crispus Attucks High School delivered powerful messages for our community. From the IndyStar's Robert King: Groves, a 16-year-old student at John Marshall, said the pressures he and other teen boys face — "to do a certain thing, to act a certain way" — are hard to resist. Don't do those things and others can make you feel "lame," he said. He's managed the feat through his volunteering with the Peace Learning Center, but it hasn't been easy. "Bascially," he said, "you're scared to be different." Check-out the excellent media coverage we received: Indy Star: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2015/02/10/deadly-year-children- Channel 13 News WTHR: indianapolis/23176265/https://www.wthr.com/story/28075841/dps-teaches-children-about-conflict-resolution-stopping-crime-when-young RTV Channel 6 news - The Indy Channel: https://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/oneindy-program-aims-to-stop-youth-violence More financial support is needed to make our One Indy project a reality. Please click here to donate today!