CRANSTON HERALD 6/09/2005
By LISA DiMAIO
Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream lives on in the “Beloved Community” – a community for third, fourth and fifth graders at Edgewood Highlands where everyone is treated with respect and fairness.
The program, which has only just begun, involves students who graduated from an 11-week course taught by The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence and funded through the Cranston Community Development Block Grant. The purpose was to teach children to deal non-violently with potentially explosive situations in all aspects of their life including school, family, friends and community.
During the ceremony, students created a presentation of pictures of some of the themes that help to create the community. Franzin Carrasco, for example, held up a poster he created that displayed how people can treat others with respect.
“It’s amazing the concept of non-violence…it’s a proactive way of living,” said Director of Development and Training Jane Jellison.
Instead of using words like “Let’s fight” on the playground, students are taught alternative resolutions to a disagreement by using words like “Let’s mediate.”
“I learn how to solve problems and compromise, so there doesn’t end up being a fight,” said 11-year-old Tori Forbes. “I use these ways to work out things in a different way.”
The program uses techniques that teach children to be empathetic to others and to work together as a group through games like “All on Board,” a game involving a tarp that the kids pile onto. As the space gets smaller there becomes less room and at that point the challenge begins. Although it may seem questionable whether or not everyone will fit, the kids make it work so that everyone is included.
“I learned not to be a bully to other kids and help kids when they’re sad,” said 9-year-old Kristen Altieri.
Part of the course outlines ways the children can control their own feelings of aggressiveness and anger.
“I used to be…not that calm when I got angry and now I stay calm,” said 10-year-old Javier Gonzalez. “If you’re mad with someone go away for a little while and try not to think about the thing that happened.”
The goal of a “Beloved Community” also includes the upkeep of the community and the need to keep the environment clean.
“We need to clean up after ourselves and make our community better,” said 9-year-old Bienvenido Ortiz.
“Litter is violence…it assaults the senses,” said Jellison.
The six principles that outline the curriculum are:
• Nonviolence is not for cowards but for brave people;
• The beloved community is the goal;
• Solve the problem, don’t hurt the people in the problem;
• There will be challenges in doing the right thing;
• Don’t have hate in your heart or be violent to other people; and,
• The universe is the side of justice.
“Every relationship can be a beloved community. Our goal is to hopefully send the message onto their families,” said non-violence trainer Virginia Law.
The program will hold refresher courses to maintain the skills the children have learned and encourage them to continue following in the footsteps of non-violence mentors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a nonviolent civil rights activist, and Ruby Bridges, a young African-American girl who integrated into the New Orleans public school system at a time of racial turmoil.
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