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Featured Sites |
PeacePartners, Inc. honors our valued partners by celebrating their passion for peace, their
creative ideas, and the wonderful implementation strategies they incorporate.
As we continue to support our partners, it is our privilege to showcase PeaceBuilders sites.
Don't just take our word for it. Read about some featured sites as they explored their problems,
developed their PeaceBuilders solution, and discovered positive outcomes! We invite you to sit
back and explore the fantastic PeaceBuilding events happening throughout the United States and
U.S. Territories. |
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| The Kroc Center - San Diego, CA |
The Kroc Center, in San Diego, Calif. is a PeaceBuilders day camp. The site offers
week-long camping sessions for urban youth all through the summer and during school
breaks. Camp counselors model and coach PeaceBuilders day by day so the youth, some
of whom come for only one week and some of whom come many weeks throughout the year,
understand that building peace is the culture here.
Young people, ages 4 through 13, attend the camp sessions, which give them a variety of
opportunities to learn new skills: some of the sessions focus on specific activities
like swimming, ice skating, drama, fine art (and many other options). Alternatively,
kids can sign up for "Kroc Adventures" and get a taste of everything. No matter the
theme of their camp session, however, PeaceBuilders is part of the program.
On Aug. 7, 2009, the Kroc Center and PeacePartners, Inc. invited dignitaries, and
administrators and staff from youth-based organizations in the surrounding area to
experience PeaceBuilders first hand at the Kroc Center--to witness for themselves the
impact that PeaceBuilding practices have on an environment and in the lives of children.
As part of their regular routine, at the beginning of each week groups of campers
compose a Peace Contract, which they are then expected to adhere to. These contracts
are posted near the camp office.
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A group of Pee Wees (four and five year old campers)
brainstormed this Peace Contract for their team.
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A group of nine and ten year old "Kroc Adventure" campers
developed this list of
"do's and don'ts" for their contract.
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Visitors to the site were impressed with the visual cues that illustrate the peace
that is built daily at the Kroc Center. Because this is a mostly outdoor camp, PraiseBoards
grow wherever there is space.
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This large window, next to the PeaceBuilders flag that hangs in the
camp office is a
handy space for a PraiseBoard.
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The door that leads into the office has morphed into a PraiseBoard
covered with PraiseNotes for campers and counselors alike.
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The otherwise empty wall across from the office is another great
space for a PeaceBuilders display along with PraiseNotes.
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The Kroc Center welcomed visitors to experience PeaceBuilders on a Friday, so they
were able to demonstrate their customary weekly closing ceremonies. During these
ceremonies, each group gives a final performance that presents a PeaceBuilders theme.
And after the performances one group is voted "PeaceBuilders of the Week."
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Groups assemble outside waiting to find out which group has won the vote.
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The winning group is awarded a PeaceBuilders t-shirt for each member!
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PeacePartners, Inc. General Manager, Todd Lemmis, Kroc Center Day Camp
Director Andrea Sanford, and President and CEO of PeacePartners, Michelle Molina, end the
day with a smile.
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PeaceBuilders is an experience that needs to be seen, heard, and felt to be understood.
We thank the staff at the San Diego Kroc Center for opening their doors, welcoming so many
curious visitors, and spreading peace in their community.
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