PULASKI COUNCIL FOR UNITY

There is a strategic attempt in Riverhead and within our schools to prevent children from being lured into a culture and the kind of decision making that promotes a gang mentality. Programs to combat this mentality include:

√ Education/Character Education,
√ Family (Gang Awareness Workshops like the one recently
      held at RMS by the PTO),
√ Community Awareness Programs (like CAP),
√ The Councils for Unity now operating at both the High
      School, the Middle School and the PulaskiStreet School.

The students themselves, under the guidance of adult leaders, are issuing a call for UNITY both in our schools and in our community to give students a safe haven for learning and an environment free from violence as well as the communication skills to resolve problems in a nonviolent way, in addition to an identifiable set of adults and peers to act as “family” at a strategic point in their development.

COUNCILS FOR UNITY

Council for Unity is an anti-gang, violence-prevention program. The school district is trying to create a “positive gang” among students that is family-oriented. The pillars of Council for Unity are best described by the acronym F.U.S.E., which stands for Family, Unity, Self-Esteem, and Empowerment. Council groups study lessons confronting racism, bigotry, and violence. They work together to keep our schools a safe haven from gangs and to mediate disagreements before they become violent.

The Council brings representatives from every ethnic, racial and natural grouping of students together to learn how they can collectively and individually work for unity at their school.

RHS was the first school in the County to form a Council for Unity and the Pulaski Street School is among the first to bring this important message to an age group who can perhaps benefit from it the most. (One of four units pictured above.)

A few minutes with any of the adults who act as advisors to these groups and it is obvious that their influence in the lives of the young people they touch will last a lifetime.

Mrs. Z, as she is called by the students, is an experienced, licensed social worker at Pulaski and is also the coordinator of the Council for Unity at Pulaski. There are two meeting days for council because of its size--Monday and Tuesdays--during lunchtime. They meet and eat together in the Math Resource room.

“Their schedules don’t have any open periods and this seems to work better and is more cost effective than meeting after school,” explains Mrs. Z.

She is free to talk today because the students are taking state assessment tests in math. However, while we are talking, four individual council members stop at the door to see if she’s there. One, Tom, sticks his head in and asks if there is still going to be a mediation today. Mrs. Z nods. “See you later then,” he says.

“He’s an amazing mediator,” Mrs. Z explains. “Students outside of Council are beginning to ask for mediations to resolve their ‘issues’, but many times a council member will be present during the ‘situation’ and invite the parties to hold a mediation. These kids are terrific,” she continues. “They’re brave. If you give them responsibility and trust, what you get in return is amazing.”

Two more girls look in the window and wave. Then 6th grader Shanea A. opens the door and says “hi.”

“Do you need to speak with me about something, Shanea?” asks Mrs. Z.

“Not really, I just had some time left before I go back to class,” Shanea explains. Mrs. Z invites Shanea to talk about her experience on the Council.

“I like it because kids in the school didn’t get along before Council. Problems in our communities affected the whole school. There were a lot more kids going to ISS (In School Suspension) before Council started. It’s a lot better now. Kids are learning to get along better. They’ve stopped screaming at each other. That’s the first thing you have to do--get them to calm down and stop screaming. It takes a lot of patience.” Shanea continues, “It has made a big difference in my life. I go to counseling at night now, too, and things are getting better. It’s helped me decide what I want to be. I want to be a counselor or social worker when I grow up,” she explains. “Definitely, just like Mrs. Z.”