FEATURES

Mediator Appreciation Day

On May 12, more than 300 students who have been trained to facilitate peer conflict resolution will converge on Fresno State. The Third Annual Mediator Appreciation Day is sponsored by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development, the Peace and Conflict Studies Program and University Outreach Services.

Dr. Pam Lane-Garon, rear and Fresno State
teacher credential student Monicaa
Ybarra-Merlo, right, with peer mediators at
Tehipite Middle School.

The elementary and middle school students come from Hanford, Fresno, Sanger and Central Unified Schools. The program, Mediator Mentors, is a school-university collaboration in which future professionals (Fresno state future teachers, counselors, social workers, etc.) mentor public school youth in communication and conflict management skills.

Under the direction of Dr. Pam Lane-Garon, the Kremen School provides training and supervision of mentors. Administrators and Mentor Teacher Cadres are busy at each school nurturing the programs in which students provide needed service to their peers and help administration resolve student interpersonal issues before they become unmanageable or dangerous.

Invited guests on Mediator Appreciation Day will be Dan deSantis, Professional Court Mediator and Administrator and Joby Dupuis, Lawyer Mediator and Professor of Mediation. They will talk to the children about the potential to convey their skills to their future education and professional lives. Lunch will be provided by University Outreach Services.

The peer mediators are proud of what they do and you can ask them questions about their work at lunch on the Student Union patio May 12.  They really want to meet “real college students and professors.”  Come to lunch to celebrate and encourage these youthful peacemakers.  We all need them!

For more information about the Mediator Mentors Project contact Dr. Pam Lane-Garon at pamelalg@csufresno.edu or visit the Mediator Mentors Web site at www.csufresno.edu/mediatormentors.