Empowering youths through peace and equity INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Peace Learning Center’s new initiative hopes to foster a culture of peace, equity, and understanding among youth. Tim Nation, executive director and co-founder of The Peace Learning Center, said, “We started a new partnership with Pike Township Schools, and every fourth (grader) and fifth grader is coming out here to Eagle Creek Park at The Peace Learning Center to learn how to be a peacemaker.” For the last 25 years, the organization has facilitated community-based learning as a catalyst for peace, equity and justice. On Tuesday, it worked with the elementary school students from Pike Township. “Peace Learning Center works with over 100 schools, and 20 or 30 other organizations throughout the community every year. We do that by conducting workshops and field trips to Eagle Creek Park,” Nation said. The Peace Learning Center has touted itself as being at the forefront of addressing the root causes of violence by teaching healthy conflict resolution. “We help them, first of all, build their skills. They learn how to attack the problem and not the person. So, there are different activities they do. But, we also go on a nature walk because kids often don’t get to be in the woods,” Nation said. The Peace Learning Center works with teachers, parents, and caregivers with a goal to help rebuild peaceful classrooms and homes. Larry Young, superintendent of Pike Township Schools, said, “But, how we handle conflict and different beliefs, and hold different ideas is what I believe (adults) need to do a better job of. If we can develop those skills in our youth, then when they become adults they’ll do a better job than we are right now.”