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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
K-12 Programs
At a recent staff retreat, Brittany Armstrong, one of our facilitators, shared the following story regarding her experience at a local high school:
Last school year I worked with the Over & Under Program. There was one particular student who left a lasting impression on me. From the beginning, "Ben" acted very young, allowing his peers to wrestle around with him, basically like a rag doll, during their gym time. In addition, he rarely spoke in front of the class or spoke up during class activities/discussions, as he was often taunted for his stutter. By the end of the school year when the Over & Under Program concluded, he was speaking up and eager to participate. He dismissed the taunts he received and they eventually subsided. He also stopped playing and rough-housing in such a childish manner. I saw "Ben" at the beginning of the following school year at his school. It was like seeing a new person. He was physically more confident, walking with better posture and a confident stride. He was also the first one outside the classroom eagerly waiting to speak with his teacher.
I felt so good to have seen such growth and such a positive transformation with this student. I feel that our programming had a major impact and my genuine interest in consistently being inquisitive, supportive, and empathizing with him and just listening played a part in his growth and confidence.
For more information on our Youth Programs, contact Kirsten Eamon-Shine, Youth Services Director, at keamon-shine@peacelearningcenter.org
Corporate & Community Programs
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Last month's "New Strategies for Sparking Innovation & Creativity in Your Nonprofit" session |
Our Corporate & Community Program team has a number of fantastic professional development sessions coming up in the next few months including two half-day donation sessions, in which your $49 registration fee will:
· Provide you with the opportunity to attend high-quality professional development sessions
· Invest in the youth of our community
· Serve as a tax-deductible donation
Our April 15 donation session, Rebuilding Trust: Creating a Culture of Candor, is presented by Debra J. Jarvis and our May 20 session, Servant Leadership: An Ethical, Practical and Meaningful Approach to Work, is presented by Dr. Kent M. Keith. For more information and to register, click here. We wish to thank Ms. Jarvis and Dr. Keith for donating their services to invest in the youth of our community!
Our March 8 Tuesdays at PLC session, Leadership and Staff Development: Building a Winning Culture, presented by McKenzie Scott Lewis, is SOLD OUT. If you wish to be placed on a waitlist, please contact Nancy Ruschman at nruschman@peacelearningcenter.org.
Please register early for our April 12 Tuesdays at PLC session, From Resistance to Buy In: Influencing People Who Resist Change, presented by Debra J. Jarvis:
Session Description: Peter Senge once said "People don't resist change; they resist being changed." Influencing people who resist change in the workplace requires leaders and co-workers who have the courage to make tough, often unpopular decisions, while creating an environment that facilitates buy-in and staff commitment to change. Yet, influence planning is one of the most overlooked parts of strategic change initiatives and gets to the heart of why people resist or even sabotage change efforts. Unless at least four of six sources of influence are used, most change efforts will fail. Attend this workshop and learn more about the six sources of influence as well as practical examples of their use. This session is based, in part, on one of the top change management books, Influencer: The Power to Change Anything by Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan and Switzler.
Time: 8:30am-10:00am
Place: Peace Learning Center, Eagle Creek Park
Registration Fee: $5.00 Register here
For more information on our Corporate & Community Programs, please contact Nancy Larner Ruschman at nruschman@peacelearningcenter.org. |
 International Interfaith Initiative
Despite the beautiful yet challenging weather, the past month was quite productive at International Interfaith Initiative. As we endured the "the ice storm of 2011" many of the conversations in the office were dominated by the breathtaking events unfolding in the Middle East, Egypt, and around the world. Even the politics in our own country appear unwieldy and unpredictable. Both of these phenomenon, weather and human collective action, reveal powerful forces that have forever shaped our experience on this planet. Floods, drought, political upheaval, revolution, and history marches on...
On February 16th III worked with several cosponsors to provide a unique and insightful forum exploring the changes happening in Egypt. There was a standing room only crowd as we heard from representatives of diverse communities in Egypt during a panel discussion and a dynamic public discussion ensued. Deb Phelps from Disciples Net graciously videotaped the event which is available at: http://vimeo.com/20413196
Also during February we continued educational outreach on our Community Conservation Challenge grant "Many Traditions: One Home", hosted a prayer vigil for elections in Uganda, continued our dialogue project with Butler students and Iraqi families, began planning for a pilot "Youth Cultural Diversity" summer camp at the Interchurch Center and we ended the month on Saturday the 26th with an elegant and hopeful fundraiser to support the amazing work of OBAT Helpers. The fundraiser was a beautiful example of how our Pakistani American community in Central Indiana is reaching back to provide humanitarian assistance to a group of refugees living in Bangladesh. More information is available at www.obathelpers.org, III will be working with OBAT Helpers in the coming years to establish schools and support micro finance projects to lift people permanently out of poverty and help enrich our lives.
Here is a list of a few great opportunities in March to become more involved in our emerging international, interfaith community:
- On March 5th Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light will be hosting an event to empower our interfaith community working on environmental issues: http://www.hoosieripl.org/
- On Friday, March 18th III is partnering with Art of Living to host a seminar and book signing from 4:00-5:00 pm with national president of their organization Michael Fischman in the Krannert Room at the Interchurch Center
- On March 23-24th the Voices and Visions program at IU in Bloomington is hosting a conference on Muslims and the Media. Registration information is available at: www.indiana.edu/~global/Re-scriptingIslam/
- And on March 28th Congregation Beth-El Zedeck is hosting an Interfaith Seder, to register contact Sharon Mishkin at (317) 253-9211 or sharonm@bezgallery.org
For more information on International Interfaith Initiative, please contact Charlie Wiles at cwiles@peacelearningcenter.org. |
| UPCOMING EVENTS
March 5, 2011
Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light
See International Interfaith Initiative section above for more information
March 8, 2011
Tuesday's at PLC session "Leadership and Staff Development: Building a Winning Culture" is SOLD OUT. To be placed on a waitlist, please contact Nancy Ruschman at nruschman@peacelearningcenter.org.
March 18, 2011
International Interfaith Initiative and Art of Living seminar
See International Interfaith Initiative section above for more information
March 23-24, 2011
Voices and Visions program
See International Interfaith Initiative section above for more information
March 28, 2011
Interfaith Seder at Beth-El Zedeck
See International Interfaith Initiative section above for more information
April 12, 2011
Tuesday's at PLC session, "From Resistance to Buy In: Influencing People Who Resist Change"
See Corporate & Community section above for more information
April 15, 2011
"Rebuilding Trust: Creating a Culture of Candor" - For more information and to register, click here.
May 20, 2011
"Servant Leadership: An Ethical, Practical and Meaningful Approach to Work" - For more information and to register, click here. |
 IN THE COMMUNITY & MEDIA
"1968: Robert F. Kennedy Speaks" exhibit at The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center includes clips from the documentary film A Ripple of Hope and an interactive touchscreen computer program about the power of words that was developed in partnership with Peace Learning Center and the International Interfaith Inititative. For more information about this 3-D exhibit that puts you into the night of April 4, 1968 when Robert Kennedy was in Indianapolis and announced to the crowd that Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated, see NUVO's review here and article in The Indianapolis Star here. |
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PLC SUPPORTERS
We would like to thank the following for their generous support of Peace Learning Center's Peace School Program:
Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation - $25,000
Samerian Foundation - $10,000 |
 GET INVOLVED WITH PLC
There are several ways to be a part of Peace Learning Center - - whether making a donation or volunteering. For more information, please click here.
TO DONATE PLEASE CLICK HERE
Donate via designated payroll contributions through Annual Employee Campaigns.
If you work for an employer that has a workforce campaign, Peace Learning Center can be designated by writing the name of our agency if it is not listed as a choice. Contact your employer's human resources department or payroll representative about making designated payroll contributions to PLC if you have questions. Peace Learning Center receives contributions given through campaigns associated with the United Way of Central Indiana, State of Indiana, Raytheon, and others. For the United Way Campaign, simply write: Peace Learning Center, Indianapolis, IN.
Peace Learning Center is listed on the State web site, www.insecc.org with the code number 532500. State employees just need to enter the name of the charity and the code number appears.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities
There's a new opportunity for you to help children in Indianapolis - Peace Coaches. We are recruiting dedicated volunteers to work with students building conflict management and emotional literacy that will benefit them in the classroom, neighborhood and future.
As a Peace Coach you will lead small groups of elementary or high school students through an interactive and highly participatory curriculum. Teams of volunteers visit a classroom for six 1 ½ hour sessions after receiving a two hour orientation.
This new offering allows Peace Learning Center to bring professionals into classrooms, offering students real-world perspectives on the value of critical communication skills and civility. It also allows the volunteer to learn healthy communication skills that will be an asset in the home and workplace. Peace Coaches was piloted this spring with five attorneys from the Indianapolis Bar Association leadership program at Shortridge Magnet High School. Teacher Mary Nolan said her students benefited greatly through the work of caring adults.
In addition to Peace Coaches, Peace Learning Center volunteer opportunities include:
- Corporate and Community events - Help us with our Tuesdays @ PLC and other events while learning.
- Landscaping and beautification at PLC Eagle Creek Park - Maintain historic building and grounds.
- Shout Out Crew - Publicize PLC through email and social media.
- Office and Clerical
Contact Lisa Jones, Human Resources Director at 317.327.7144 or ljones@peacelearningcenter.org for all volunteer positions. |
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FROM THE DIRECTOR
 Connections
Changes are happening around our world at speeds so fast it is hard to keep up.
When you look at Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and other countries across earth, one wonders what is the spark that is igniting mostly non-violent peoples' movements that are making democratic change?
Technology. It started with millions of people putting satellite dishes on their roofs and balconies to by-pass state television in repressive countries. Internet allows multi-faceted communication - one tweet with the right keyword can reach millions - and anyone can read thousands of news sources. It is strengthened by smart phones that give not only internet, email, text and phone communication, they give mass amounts of people a tool that is more powerful than any words - video.
For many years, there has been a movement to get video cameras into war sites so that repression and human rights violations can be documented. When you watch demonstrations and violent government repression the last few weeks, you see many people holding up their phones video taping the tragedies.
In Egypt, a recent Frontline documentary focused on the work of a youth movement to oust the government. They launched five years ago by posting horrific videos of police torture of citizens that authorities filmed for confessions. With 60% of Egypt's population under 30 years old, these videos circulated on YouTube and were widely seen. An accompanying Facebook page gained 80,000+ followers in a short time before this year's protests started and these people were ready to mobilize for action.
Nonviolent change is not new. From Gandhi expelling the British without guns and bombs, to Mandela in South Africa, Corazon Aquino in the Philippines, Lech Walesa in Poland and Martin Luther King in our country, billions of people on earth have experienced real change with little or no violence proving there are alternatives to armed conflict.
Martin Luther King said, "darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Just as hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
Tim Nation
Cofounder & Executive Director |
PLC WISH LIST
You can help PLC's programs by providing the following products or services:
- Laser Cartridges: Q6000, Q6001, Q6002, Q6003
- Copy paper
- Landscaping Services
- Handyman Repair Services
- 2 Whiteboards (48" x 72")
- 6 ft plastic tables (4)
- Sump Pump and installation
- Retractable screen
- Bulbs for projector
For more information, please contact Lisa Jones at 317.327.7144 or
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