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Dehumanizing Each Other Won’t Effect Real Change. Here’s How We Move Forward | Rolling Stone

May 13, 2024 / No Comments

As conflict grows on campuses and in communities, connection is our best hope.

By Eva Armour, Vishnu Swaminathan

SEEDS OF PEACE is a long-running nonprofit that brings together youth from conflict zones to engage in dialogue and learn leadership skills. Eva Armour is its Chief Impact Officer, and Vishnu Swaminathan is its Chief Operating Officer.

In this time of intense polarization, so many of us are seeking but struggling to find healthy and effective ways to engage colleagues, classmates, or even family on deeply divisive issues — from Israel, Gaza, and campus protests, to abortion and immigration.

We often focus on the arguments without thinking about the part that matters just as much (if not more): how we engage with each other. How we engage conveys our values, sets culture, and can even determine how successful we are at making progress on the issues we care about.

This is particularly true, and also most challenging, when the stakes are high — and when lives are on the line, and we are confronted with horrifying images, it is seemingly impossible. In moments like these, anyone who disagrees with us is not only wrong but fundamentally intolerable. Yet this is when we need to stay most connected to each other’s humanity.

Otherwise, the only path is deeper disconnection, dehumanization of the other, and violence. We can’t build institutions or societies grounded in care and community by shaming or screaming at each other. We can’t expect others to see our full humanity when we deny them theirs.

That is why Seeds of Peace has, for over 30 years, been bringing young people together across lines of difference from the United States and more than 25 other countries. Over 8,000 of these young leaders have now spent part of a summer at the Seeds of Peace Camp, engaging face-to-face in the hard work of dialogue.

Dialogue is a way to better understand ourselves, each other, and the world. It is not debate, negotiation, or group therapy (though it can be therapeutic). Perhaps most importantly, it is also not an end goal in itself but rather a first step and then a continual process towards taking informed action. 

For those of us who are searching for ways to engage others in our lives productively on difficult topics, here are three tested strategies to help build bridges and make interactions more constructive and less destructive.

Find ways to create a connection.

Connection is an antidote to division and violence. Instead of avoiding or attacking those you disagree with, seek out opportunities to go deeper. Do your own work first. Enter conversations with genuine curiosity and practice ways to regulate your body and emotions in order to stay open to listening, even when met with opinions with which you fiercely disagree. Be mindful of defenses and deflections; look for ways to align, even when disagreeing. And do all of this without fear: either you will validate your perspective or hear something new that moves you towards deeper understanding. 

The hard work of staying in dialogue with those with whom we share little in common and sitting with our deep discomfort builds empathy and connection that prevents demonization.

Move beyond sides.

Polarization typically results in pressure to take sides: to be ‘pro’ one group necessitates being ‘anti’ the other. The goal of dialogue isn’t to validate all sides but to increase our capacity to hold multiple truths and redefine the ‘sides’ altogether. It strengthens how we act without diminishing the gravity or urgency of the moment. How might we align and organize per shared values, drawing on the power of our different identities? How might that bring us closer to creating more safe and just communities?

Use your imagination.

Any path forward will require us to first imagine beyond our current realities. Seeds of Peace creates spaces like our camp that allow us to imagine and practice a version of the future that has yet to be born into existence. Doing so is messy and often challenging, but it also expands our ideas for what’s possible and inspires people to work towards realizing it in their communities. As our alumni declared upon returning home after experiencing living together, “We refuse to accept what is when we know what can be.”

We are in a character and values-defining moment. The way we engage with each other now will predict the course for what comes next, and solutions stand the greatest chance for success when they are grounded in dialogue and mutual respect.

“The wish to not have to deal with the other is an illusion,” wrote one of our alumni in the Middle East recently. “And I hope this realization becomes a source of strength rather than weakness. That inevitably, we have to find a way to make this work for all of us. Otherwise, it will work for none of us.”  

Read this commentary piece in Rolling Stone ››

Indo-Pak homestays, dialogue, BBC Radio | Newsletter

Feb 23, 2010 / No Comments

Over 100 Seeds bridge religious, political divides near Jerusalem

Seeds“Now, more than ever, I believe that it is important to dialogue with the other side,” said one of the Israeli and Palestinian teenagers who participated in an overnight seminar on February 5-6.

The binational event took place outside Jerusalem, at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, the only intentional Arab-Jewish community in Israel.

The Seeds watched a theatrical performance detailing personal narratives of Jerusalem residents from both sides of the city, asked difficult questions of a panel of clerics, and met for intense dialogue sessions.

The clerics—a rabbi, a Catholic priest, and a sheikh—spoke about the importance of Jerusalem in their respective religions, and about tolerance of other faiths. Seeds listened intently and asked thought-provoking questions, covering topics such as Jesus’ command to love one’s enemy, the role of jihad in Islam, and the Ten Commandments.

The seminar’s three dialogue sessions were led by graduates of the 15-month Seeds of Peace facilitation course, which provides professional training to Seeds alumni in their 20s. The discussions gave both Israelis and Palestinians a chance to share their recent personal experiences and views on the conflict.

The participants were excited to be with each other again and to learn, explore and talk together—something so rare given the current situation.

An Arab-Israeli news channel aired a segment on the seminar during its evening broadcast.

Chase/Facebook Panel Awards Seeds of Peace $100,000 to Implement ‘Big Idea’

Inspired by Seeds of Peace’s proposal, the Advisory Board of the Chase Community Giving Challenge, which includes NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson and actress Eva Longoria, has awarded Seeds of Peace a $100,000 prize.

During the $25,000 first round of the Challenge, Seeds of Peace competed against thousands of other non-profits, and advanced to the final round thanks to the support of Facebook voters.

 

Peace MarketJoin us: Peace Market ’10
You are invited to Seeds of Peace’s annual Peace Market to be held March 10 in New York City. The evening will feature musical performances by Grammy-nominated John Forté and South Asian rock legend Salman Ahmad. Learn more »

 

Homestays2010 Indo-Pak Homestays
Indian Seeds host their Pakistani friends in Mumbai for a week of workshops exploring their countries’ competing historical narratives. Read more »

 

BBC Radio InterviewBBC Radio Interview
The views of an Israeli and a Palestinian Seed are heard around the globe on the BBC World Service. Listen »

 

Olive Branch“Camp has taught me how to be a good listener, and how to express my views on the conflict and the problems it creates in my life. Coming home is just the beginning—the journey has just started. Sometimes I feel like I now have the hardest job in the world: to get our message out everywhere and to everybody.” Mai (Seed from Hebron) Read more »

 

FacebookIf you have a Facebook account, click here to join the Seeds of Peace group on the social networking site.

Donate

To make a tax-deductible contribution to Seeds of Peace, click here.

60 Palestinian, Israeli Seeds engage in two-day dialogue about Jerusalem

Jan 29, 2011 / No Comments

JERUSALEM | On January 28-29, 60 Israelis and Palestinians (from across the West Bank) engaged in two days of dialogue, exploring Jerusalem as one of the defining unresolved issues of the conflict and hearing from guest lecturers.

By connecting the discussion to these issues directly, the seminar aimed to take the Camp dialogue sessions up a notch. In the weeks leading up to the event, Seeds met by delegation to research the topics relating to Jerusalem. The result was six hours of focused dialogue from which the Seeds came away with a much deeper understanding of the challenges that face Jerusalem’s residents, as well as concrete action plans to address some of these issues.

“The dialogue was so much more insightful,” said one Israeli Seed. “It was more mature than Camp. I now understand the Palestinian point of view referring to how Jerusalem should look, and sympathize with their situation of living under occupation.”

Two guest lecturers spoke about Jerusalem. Elie Isaacson, a spokesman for the Jerusalem mayor’s office, discussed various city policies.

“I was impressed by the very high level of questions asked in ways that demonstrated a genuine desire to learn and to understand complexities, in an overall constructive environment,” Isaacson said, calling the Seeds “a group of exceptional young people who quite possibly possess the right mix of conviction and open mindedness that is capable of leading us to a very different future.”

Aziz Abu Sara, Director of Middle East Projects at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, spoke about his personal experiences growing up in Jerusalem.

“It was amazing to see the dialogue between Elie and Aziz,” said one Seed. “It was seeing what both sides think from a different angle, not through dialogue I participated in between Seeds, but by two adults who have everything to do with the conflict.”

Older Seed Peer Leaders (PLs) led activities and dialogue throughout the seminar. “If dialogue is about understanding the other’s agenda and state of mind, then the PLs made it happen,” said another Seed.
 
JERUSALEM BINATIONAL PHOTOS

India Seed Ventures Face-to-Face project connects students to the “other side”

Mar 8, 2012 / 2 Comments

Cross-border Aamney-Samney initiative tackles India, Pakistan stereotypes

BY JEHAN (INDIAN SEED, 2008) | MUMBAI Before Indian Seeds arrive at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine, many of them wonder, “What does a Pakistani look like? What does a Pakistani sound like? What does a Pakistani think?” Not knowing the answer to little questions such as these allow stereotypes to form based on what we hear from the media and politicians.

The main goal of this Seed Ventures project was to change that—to get as many people as possible from both sides of the India-Pakistan border to have reality-based answers to these questions. We wanted them to have a face to project in their minds when they read, spoke, or heard about the “other side.” I therefore developed the Aamney-Samney (“Face-to-Face” in Hindi and Urdu) project.

The vision for Aamney-Samney was to connect students from both Pakistan and India across the border using the current technology available to the students: Skype, blogs, and phones.

The Bombay International School and Lahore Grammar School formed a partnership in which four students from each school, led by Seeds and a teacher from each school, met regularly over the course of several Skype and blog sessions to both share commonalities and differences between the two nation’s cultures.

The first step in the cross-border communication involved setting up a private blog, allowing the two groups of students to tell each other about themselves, their beliefs, and their life goals.

Like what takes place at the Seeds of Peace Camp when we begin talking to “the other side,” their similarities surfaced, and the students were able to use those to build friendships and then even celebrate their differences. Some bonded over food, some over photography, some over motor racing accidents and some over the Twilight novel and film series. It was as if the first week of Camp was unfolding before us on our computer screens!

From there, the students began connecting over Skype. They first held an ice-breaker session which allowed them to learn more about the students from across their respective border.

Follow-up Skype sessions were more task-oriented as we formed four cross-border teams, each consisting of one Indian and one Pakistani student. Based on the theory that “the differences between India and Pakistan are blown out of proportion,” each group covered a specific piece of the cultures in order to compare and contrast the two cultures. The topics included food, language, clothing, and beliefs.

Each team corresponded with each other over the course of a month as they researched and shared about their topic as they worked toward the project’s end, a group presentation.

After a month of sharing research and information, the students met to present their findings to others through a video Skype call held at their respective schools. Over 50 guests were in attendance to hear their presentations.

The first group came up front and gave a little introduction of their topic, what people generally think of “the other side,” before presenting their video in which they interviewed family and friends about the misconceptions about the other:

The second group presented on the topic of language and showed a video they created which challenged others to decipher the differences between Hindi and Urdu. In one part of the video, the group leaders told a joke in Hindi/Urdu and asked the interviewees which language they believed the joke to be in. As expected, everyone in Pakistan said Urdu and everyone in India said Hindi. This showed that the spoken languages are extremely similar, so if an Indian speaks in Hindi a Pakistani who speaks Urdu would understand and vice versa.

The third group created a slideshow about the cuisines of the two cultures. They ended their presentation by sharing a popular dish from the other’s country to those guests in attendance. Those in India enjoyed some homemade biryani, while those in Pakistan enjoyed some vada-pav.

The fourth group covered the topic of clothing by presenting a series of images and interviews with a diverse group of people from different backgrounds.

The audience at the presentation went home with more information about the country across the border and enjoyed all of the presentations. The project participants also gained much from the experience:

“I enjoyed making new friends, learning about the similarities between India and Pakistan and how these similarities can bring us together.”
— Miraj, Pakistani student

“It was amazing to see how well an Indian and a Pakistani could just talk to each other and co-operate without any hesitation, almost like they had known each other for years.”
— Karan, 2011 Indian Seed

“Brilliantly organized! More initiatives like this must be taken at a larger scale to make the world know what Seeds of Peace is all about. Glad to be a part of it. A step towards world peace!”
— Imran Ismailjee, Teacher, Bombay International School

“A family like us yearns for the fruits of this project. We have our own family on the other side of the border. The protocol of the two nations makes the distance longer. At Karachi, unknown shopkeepers, doctors and new friends received us with the warmest hospitality—eager to know about our country and wishing to be here! My sincere invitation to all those students who would strengthen ties between the two nations, through this project. This project seems to be making our inner wish a reality!”
— Laila, parent of participant

“I think it was an amazing experience. Everyone I got to know is amazing in his or her own way. This project helped me overcome the anti-Indian sentiments I had previously had.”
— Mahnoor, Pakistani student

If just by realizing similarities and valuing differences through a small project, a strong bond could be formed, then why can’t our governments do the same?

This project instilled a sense of peace and mutual respect for each other.

Having a friend from across the border is not very common, but when one is made, thoughts, hobbies, ideas, and dreams, can converge and meet at a point where everything goes beyond our conflict, our nationality, who we are, and what we are made to believe. After all, the “enemy” does have a face.

Learn more about South Asia Seed Ventures »

Palestinian, Israeli Seeds simulate elections, discuss recent violence

Dec 16, 2012 / No Comments

JERUSALEM | Israeli and Palestinian Seeds met separately this week in preparation for joint post-ceasefire gatherings. Though the meetings focused on different topics, both addressed one of the main program themes of Seeds of Peace local programs: understanding core conflict issues within and between societies.

Forty Palestinian Seeds came together for a daylong seminar in Ramallah to discuss Palestine’s status upgrade at the United Nations, violence in Gaza and Israel, and the credibility of the news media.

“Most of us were waiting for this event so we could empty what was inside us after all the conflict that we saw and lived through,” said Rawan, a Seed from 2012.

The bombings in Gaza and rocketfire on Israel was a central topic of the seminar.

“We sat in groups to discuss what happened,” said Tamara, a 2011 Seed. “In that moment, I knew that Seeds of Peace will always be here to support us and that it will always be a major part in our lives.”

Director of Palestinian Programs Mohammed NasserEddin used various dialogue exercises to get Seeds thinking critically about key issues, such as Palestinian recognition at the UN, instead of simply relying on what the media tells them.

“What was interesting about these activities were that they were based on question and answer sessions where Seeds responded to other Seeds,” he said. “Political group discussions among the Seeds makes them smarter in their opinions and in their decisions.”

In Jerusalem, the Israeli seminar had a similar emphasis on interactive learning. With Israeli elections on the horizon, Seeds discussed electoral politics and what they mean for the region.

Director of Israeli Programs Eldad Levy said the two-day seminar dealt with important political issues in a fun and engaging way.

“To me, this type of seminar is the prototype of successful education: fun, interactive, interesting and still focused on learning.”

Sixty Seeds participated in the seminar, 12 of them Palestinians living in Israel. Helping lead the activities were 13 Graduate Seeds from Camp years 1996 to 2005.

One of the Graduate Seeds leading activities was Tomer Perry, a 1996 Seed and Stanford University Ph.D. candidate. Perry had Seeds simulate their roles as either one of eight political parties or as journalists. The Seeds got into character as they ran for Knesset or covered the elections in the media. Seeds even met with “Hillary Clinton” to reach an agreement to return to the negotiation table.

Simulations like these got Seeds thinking about Israeli politics in new ways, since they had to analyze all campaigns, whether they were left or right wing, secular or religious, Jewish or Arab. Seeds also had to consider each party’s economic and social goals, and views on the peace process.

“The special aspect of this seminar is that we, the participants, were very active,” said Dani, a 2011 Seed. “We managed our own small-scale election campaign and thus learned a lot about the parties and electoral politics in Israel as they are, not necessarily as they are shown to us in the media.”

“Since the seminar, I wake up in the morning looking for news in the daily papers about the elections,” said Ophir, a 2012 Seed.

Seeds concluded the seminar by casting secret ballots for the parties they would support on election day. For Program Director Eldad, the result of his Israeli Seeds’ votes was a good sign.

“We have a wide spectrum of Israeli Seeds who believe in the importance of dialogue and moving forward with the peace process,” he said. “And for me that is encouraging.”
 
PALESTINIAN & ISRAELI MEETINGS

Building solidarity: Multinational dialogue returns with 37 Middle East youth in Cyprus

Sep 27, 2022 / No Comments

At the end of a rigorous day of dialogue, group challenges, and activities, the scene at an August Seeds of Peace program looked something like a modern-day John Hughes film: Scattered across a central lawn, small groups were talking, dancing, taking selfies, and sharing TikTok videos—seemingly typical teenagers were doing typical teenager things.

Looks can be deceiving.

Below the surface, there was little typical about MEET in Cyprus, a multinational dialogue program for Middle Eastern youth.

“I’m still processing it all,” said Lara, and Egyptian Seed. “I anticipated it would be big for me, but I can’t explain just how much this has given me something that I didn’t know that I needed.”

With 37 participants from Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, Cyprus, and Egypt, MEET in Cyprus marked the first Seeds of Peace multinational youth dialogue program in more than two years.

With twice-daily dialogue sessions, a special field trip, group challenges, and teambuilding work, the weeklong program was designed to deepen their understanding of conflict, of one another, and of their responsibility—and ability—to change its course.

It had the markings of the most impactful Seeds of Peace programs, but in many ways, was an evolution of how the organization brings youth together. Primarily, it was designed and led by Middle East staff and Cypriot alumni with regional culture at the forefront and built upon a year’s worth of work in Core Leadership Programs.

“At Camp, the youth came in a clean slate, whereas these kids had already done many months of work building their skills with their local teams, so they’re coming in at a whole different level,” said Claire Dibsy Ayed, Seeds of Peace Chief of Legal and Business Affairs, Palestine, and a lead organizer of the Cyprus program.

In a tour of Nicosia led by Cypriot alumni, participants saw checkpoints along the Greek-Turkish border and ventured within the ghostly quiet UN Buffer Zone. Walking amid bullet-riddled, abandoned buildings, they learned about the conflict and visited the Home for Cooperation, which works to bring together Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

“It might not have hit them in the moment, but when they go home and see the things they talked about in Cyprus, and see similar versions of things they saw over there, that’s when it sinks in: It didn’t seem right over there, why is it okay over here?” said Jonathan Kabiri, Director of Israeli Programs.

Topics in dialogue sessions ranged from gender and human rights, to identifying with certain groups and national histories, to the impact of inherited memories, to challenging master narratives.

Outside dialogue, group challenges required them to practice what they were learning in dialogue—speaking from the “I,” working together, not making decisions for others, gaining consensus, to name a few.

Seeds like Adeem, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, described it as a supportive place to share their stories, to grow as leaders, and to better understand themselves and each other.

“At first I thought it was pointless, but I could see as dialogue went on that people started to understand me and the difficulties that I go through on a daily basis, and that it made other people understand my perspective I understood theirs,” she said. “I see how it could help us to have a more successful generation, and maybe not peace, but at least more understanding.”

By the end of the week, many said they were leaving with a feeling of relief: to have gotten things off their chest, to have heard from others who share their struggles, and to learn that there are those on the other side who want to make change.

“This was an opportunity to widen the lens of what the kids see—to understand that there’s more to the struggle than their own reality,” said Monica Baky, an Egyptian Seed and Multinational Dialogue Programs Director. “It’s not so much about making friends, but building solidarity, understanding the nuance of this work, and inspiring a desire to continue.”

In fact, in a post-survey, the vast majority of participants said they felt more inspired to work for change at home after the program. “There is much more to do, much more to speak about, and much more to hear and be heard, and I’m looking forward to more meetings like that,” said Yaniv, an Israeli Seed.

“I came here to meet Israelis—to tell them my story and what I go through at checkpoints and living as a Palestinian,” Christina said. “I know there are others at my school who would be interested in doing the same, so that’s what I want to do. Talk to them about these programs and help them find their voice.”

“I hope I can create a safe space around my community to continue having these conversations, and to talk about the many problems we face in our country,” Lara added. “Like I said, this is something I didn’t know I needed, but hearing from everyone here makes me feel that I’m not alone. That other people thought this was just as powerful as I did.”

122 Maine, Syracuse teens tackle divides within their schools and communities

Jul 23, 2013 / 1 Comment

Second session of Seeds of Peace Camp also bringing together 30 educators from conflict regions to examine ways to teach history that encourage peace

OTISFIELD, MAINE | On July 23, 99 teenagers from Maine and 23 from Syracuse, New York, will arrive at the Seeds of Peace Camp to engage in dialogue, build leadership skills, and tackle intercommunal tensions.

Joining them will be 30 educators from regions of conflict around the world who are taking part in the Camp’s third annual Educators Program summer course.

Seeds of Peace adapted its internationally recognized conflict resolution and youth leadership program in 2000 to focus on tensions in Maine between the state’s growing refugee and asylum-seeker populations and their neighbors.

This summer marks the 14th year of Maine Seeds programming at Camp, with students attending from 13 schools across the state.

Seeds of Peace’s Syracuse Program, started in 2011, is generously supported by Say Yes to Education with additional assistance from another non-profit, InterFaith Works. Like cities in Maine, Syracuse experiences challenges within its school system due to tensions between American-born populations and communities from Somalia, Sudan, Vietnam, Iraq, Thailand, and other countries.

The Syracuse dialogue program at Camp will focus primarily on four topics: stereotypes and assumptions, white privilege, institutionalized racism, and the role of allies.

For both delegations, this two-week session at the Camp is only a beginning; year-round local programs will enable them to continue developing strong relationships as well as the skills needed to engage others in their schools and communities in the effort to promote understanding.

The Seeds of Peace Educators’ Course, “Making History,” runs parallel to the Maine and Syracuse programs. Over the course of two weeks, participants explore how, by turning the “past” into history, people answer the question of who they are, where they come from and where they are going; participants explore how to learn and teach the past in ways that encourage a more humane and more peaceful future.

Graduates of the course will join a growing and unique global network of Seeds of Peace Educators committed to the values of respect, cross-cultural understanding, civic engagement, leadership and the peaceful transformation of conflict. The formal and informal educators in this network serve as a resource for others both in and beyond their own communities.

Say Yes to Education, Inc. is a national non-profit foundation dedicated to valuing and realizing the promise and extraordinary potential of economically disadvantaged youth and families; it is committed to dramatically increasing high school and college graduation rates for urban youth in the United States.

After Camp, Say Yes as well as InterFaith Works will continue their partnerships with Seeds of Peace in order to create initiatives reducing tension and violence within Syracuse schools.

U.S. Seeds hone facilitation skills

Nov 28, 2011 / No Comments

NEW YORK | This year’s annual American Seed Thanksgiving Conference focused on training Seeds with the skills required to facilitate dialogue in their communities. Throughout the two-day conference, attendees learned and practiced the tools and techniques facilitators use to transform conflict.

In addition, five Seeds had an opportunity to stay for continued training on Sunday, November 27, and will later directly apply their skills by facilitating dialogue between American high school students at the Cranbrook Schools’ World Affairs seminar, CultureSpeak, from February 24-25, 2012. Cranbrook is a private preparatory boarding school located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, near Detroit. As part of CultureSpeak, these Seeds will facilitate dialogue on culture, race, religion, and politics.

The annual American Seeds Thanksgiving Retreats began in 2004 when a group of pioneering American Seeds decided to convene a retreat to discuss the American Seed experience and reconnect with their friends from Camp. Since then the retreat has grown to include International Seeds studying in the US, topics that enrich Seeds understanding of the Middle East and South Asia, peace-building, and the creation of a council of American Seeds to plan additional seminars and programming in the US.

Students gather to solve problems in Maine’s school system
Bangor Daily News

Mar 9, 2014 / No Comments

PORTLAND, MAINE | The lack of funding for public schools, the cost of higher education and a dysfunctional program for English language learners were some of the problems more than 50 students, representing 13 schools from Dexter to Scarborough, tackled Saturday at the Portland Public Library.

The event consisted of student-led presentations and discussions about how to improve Maine’s education system. It was sponsored by Seeds of Peace, a program that attempts to alleviate intercommunal tensions in Maine by bringing together immigrant, refugee and American-born students from high schools across the state for a two-week-long summer camp and other events throughout the year.

Students shared experiences of being stigmatized in school because they have learning disabilities or are not American-born. After each presentation, they met in small groups to discuss possible solutions to these problems.

“I was born in Georgia, raised in Maine,” Muna Mohamed, a junior at Lewiston High School, told an audience of about 80 people. “Up until sixth grade, I was considered not proficient in English when it was the only language I have ever spoken fluently. How does that work?”

The students heard statements from lawmakers, including U.S. Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins and U.S. Reps. Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree, as well as a rousing speech from gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, but the real goal of the conference was for these students to educate their political leaders.

Next fall, the Seeds of Peace students will present the governor, leaders of the Legislature and Maine’s congressional delegation with a document outlining what they perceive to be the biggest issues facing the state’s education system and proposed solutions. This document will update a similar proposal created by Seeds of Peace students in 2003 in response to Gov. John Baldacci’s call for a charter to examine “why young people are leaving our state.”

This year, the students identified and focused on four topics: the economics of education, universal standards, students with disabilities and English language learner programs.

“It’s super relevant to us,” said Meredith Roderka, a senior at Dexter Regional High School. “We’re the ones it’s affecting — us and the teachers.”

Four students opened a discussion on the economics of education with a presentation that painted a dire picture of the cost of education from kindergarten to college.

“Seven out of every 10 students here will be an average of $29,400 in debt” after graduating from college, said Sophie Warren, a senior at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland.

Jared Dumas said that though the city of Lewiston, where he goes to school, allocates 40 percent of its expenditures for education, money is still in short supply in that school district.

Cutler continued the economics discussion with a speech that received a standing ovation from the students.

“Here’s our problem in Maine: we’re old and cold and poor,” he said.

“If we want to get younger,” he went on, “the first thing we’re going to have to do is get smarter about immigrants … we need policies to get more immigrants to come to Maine.”

He added that the cost of higher education, which he said is increasing faster than the cost of health care, is keeping Maine students from achieving a degree after high school.

Cutler’s presence at the event was significant to the students.

“I think it’s important for kids to hear people like Eliot Cutler speak and know that there are important people looking at this and scrutinizing it,” Roderka said, referring to the document that will be finished in the fall.

The conversation later shifted to standards-based education, a form of teaching and grading that all Maine high schools will be required to use in the 2014-2015 school year. The model calls on students to master a set of skills in order to graduate from high school, and moves emphasis away from a traditional model of letter grades and credits.

After another student presentation, the audience grilled a panel of educators that included Portland Public Schools Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk, Casco Bay High School principal Derek Pierce and Dexter Regional High School teacher Lisa Cronin, all of whom have had varying degrees of experience with standards-based education.

The students wanted to know:

— What happens if a student doesn’t meet the standard?

— How will standards-based education affect students with disabilities?

— Doesn’t standards-based education benefit self-motivated students and leave behind everyone else?

“We’re all living in a flawed system and I don’t see much harm in trying to move to a better system,” said Pierce, whose school has been using a standards-based system since it was founded in 2005.

Each of the student participants at Saturday’s event had attended the summer camp at Seeds of Peace or will attend this year. Students that show strong leadership skills are selected by their teachers to apply to the program. Their applications are evaluated by Tim Wilson, the program’s director, and administrators in the Seeds of Peace central office in New York, before they are invited to camp.

“This is not typical of a lot of things that go on in Maine,” said Wilson. “It’s their dialogue. We put parameters on it, but it’s their dialogue.”

Read Nell Gluckman’s article at the Bangor Daily News ››

VIDEO: Seeds, staff host Black History Month forum

Feb 25, 2021 / No Comments

Around 50 members of the Seeds of Peace community logged in to Zoom on February 25 to listen to a powerful, intergenerational discussion: “Black History and the Road Ahead: Tim Wilson and Seeds in Conversation.”

Tim, who serves as Seeds of Peace’s Senior Advisor & Director, Maine Seeds Programs, became the first Black secondary school teacher in the state of Maine in 1966.

The webinar was moderated by Seeds of Peace Senior Advisor for Strategic Partnerships Rahsaan Graham with Danielle (2018 Maine Seed), Boni (2011 Maine Seed), and Hannah Cooke (Camp Counselor) joining Tim on the panel.

In a little over an hour the conversation covered a multitude of topics, including the long road to racial justice in America, Black leadership, self-care, and how non-Black people can be allies. As Danielle put it: “The shortest, most immediate answer I can think of is: Stand in solidarity. The true definition of compassion is suffering with, and thus, creating a sense of kinship and unity. Acknowledge humanity on a whole, and advocate for those whose humanity has often been diminished.”