Hi, I'm Ed Leon.

Welcome to the 260, where we cover life and community in Northeast Indiana.

On this episode, it's back to school, including the all important transportation issues.

We'll learn what Peacemaker Academy is doing to reduce conflict and violence in our local high schools, and how the City of Decatur is engaging young people with city government.

It's all right now on the 260.

You don't have to look very hard to see evidence of violence in our community, and we always seem to find ourselves asking the same question, how do we stop this from happening again?

But what if prevention starts long before the crisis?

That's the philosophy behind Peacemaker Academy, a Fort Wayne based youth development initiative focused on conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, leadership, restorative practices, and violence prevention based on the principles of Dr.

Martin Luther King.

This program is one of the brightest stories happening in Fort Wayne, and I'm pleased to introduce you to co-founder and Executive Director Angelo Mante Marie Mante, co-founder and director of school based programs, and Khalid Aboelgassim Peacemaker Academy graduate from 2024 and recent 2026 graduate of Northrop High School.

Khalid, congratulations buddy.

Thank you so much.

All right.

Thank you all for being here.

You know, I've been to a couple of your, you know, events, and I'm just I'm really taken by the positivity and energy of, of this program.

And we're going to get into all the details.

But Angelo, this this was inspired by tragedy in some respects.

Right?

Yes, absolutely.

Tell us, tell us how this began.

So we, Marie and I were living our lives down in Atlanta.

We're from Fort Wayne, but we'd been down there for for eight years.

And in 2016, that all that all changed.

My cousin, first cousin here in Fort Wayne was murdered.

And we were very close growing up.

And it was one of those situations where we we felt called to come back home.

We didn't know what we'd be doing, we didn't know what we would be getting into, but we just knew that we had to come home, back to the city that raised us and to to do something to help address this issue of violence.

In 2016, the year he was murdered, was also the record breaking year for homicides.

Ed: Homicides in Fort Wayne.

Yeah.

So we were already paying attention to it.

So in 2017, we were back and spent a couple of years just learning, trying to understand the issue, some of the root issues, trying to get to know organizations and people that were addressing it from different angles, getting to know families, survivors who've been affected and start working with them and started a support group.

And but then this vision for Peacemaker Academy came about because we were doing this work with survivors.

I was doing a lot of funerals for young people.

And I said, you know, we what can we do that would lead to less families that need support in the first place?

How do we move the needle with this, with this area of community violence?

And that's where this vision of Peacemaker Academy was born.

And how did you arrive, though at at addressing it?

I mean, it's such a big problem, so many ways to attack it, attack it, or to try to do good.

How did you arrive at emotional intelligence and conflict resolution?

You know, you know, reduction in schools.

How did you arrive at that?

That is the plan.

Yeah.

Well, I've been an educator for nearly two decades, and just being in the classroom, seeing kids need tools on how to regulate emotion, how to deal with conflict without resorting to physical violence.

And so just with that awareness that it's going to take education in order to to combat this.

And honestly, I think once kids learn this, they want to do better.

So it's just a matter of just giving them that toolbox, the resources to say you can do things differently.

I believe that you can.

And here's how.

And so like I think that that's what we've discovered is really how ready these students were to handle things a different way.

What what are today's students dealing with that maybe people don't understand pressures and areas where they're there that violence is like right at the surface in their lives.

Yeah.

I'm going to start at the super obvious one that most people who have teenagers or around teenagers experience, and that's social media.

A lot of violence starts with words exchanged through, whether it's text messages or direct messages through social media apps.

That is really a lot of where that stoking of violence begins.

Ed: Khalid Do you agree with that?

Khalid: I do, and I Also feel like peer pressure is part of the issue.

Kids these days like them and their friends, they're kind of expected to engage in violence.

And something that's normalized is something that's, you know, if they see it happening every day, they're not they're not going a bat an eye to it.

What attracted you to the program?

And we're going to go back to the program.

Okay.

So this was my sophomore year.

It was the end of the year.

I had gotten into a fight with somebody, and then I ended up being in in school suspension.

And then when I was in ISS, I met one of our future peace advocates.

He was at the time the ISS teacher, Mr.

Byron Scott.

Him and I struck up a conversation and he realized that I really should not, should not have been in there.

It was just one bad mistake from peer pressure and from kids telling me what to do.

And then that's how I got involved with the peacemakers, because he introduced it to me the very next day.

It was a resource for you.

All right.

Now let's backtrack.

Talk about the Peacemakers Academy.

What is it?

What is the program?

Maria: So it's a three week student leadership development program.

Within that three weeks, students are learning intense knowledge on Doctor King's six principles of nonviolence.

It's a framework.

So a lot of meat can be built upon the framework.

What we really dissect, what does, how does nonviolence look in a positive active form.

So it's not the absence of, but the presence of something that's good.

And so we really build this tight community with students.

It's 12 students from each high school that have been selected through interviews, reference checks, process within their school and the end of that academy experience.

Then they transition to as a school group, what can we do to bring peace to our school?

And so they have a project that they build upon and they introduce it into the next school year.

And so it's very intense, very active and very highly engaging.

So Khalid you become actually a leader for nonviolence within your with among your peers?

Khalid: Yes.

Was that a weird transition to, to to move into.

At first, yeah.

Because when you go from somebody who's on the sidelines just watching people do whatever they do to becoming an active leader, at first you're going to think of it as weird, but the more you engage with it, the more becomes part of your daily lifestyle and then becomes a part of you.

Yeah.

Angela, how did you did you choose to have the principles of Martin Luther King?

Was that how did you arrive at using those nonviolent principles?

So I had some familiarity, familiarity with nonviolence in general.

I had an academic interest in nonviolence in my studies down in Atlanta.

And being in that environment, kind of the heart of the civil rights movement where Doctor King was born, in getting to know a lot of people, even from that era, who were part of my educational journey in Atlanta and learning from them.

So when we were exploring questions about what can we do, the first thing that I went to was nonviolence.

You know, who's doing nonviolent programing education with young people in particular, because that's really where we wanted to focus our energy.

And so that's the that's how we arrived at that path.

And I found this Kingian and Nonviolence network, and some folks that were teaching nonviolence centers that were doing nonviolence work out of the Kingian tradition.

And that ended up getting me down to Selma, Alabama, at the Selma Center for nonviolence and going through some Kingian and nonviolence training.

And I was I was compelled by the principles in the curriculum that they were teaching, but I was even more compelled by how they were utilizing it to transform their community and address social issues of poverty and violence down there in Selma.

Is there an answer to the violence in our culture and in the de-escalation you're doing your part in de-escalating violence?

Is there have you have some thoughts about how we can do that in general, Marie?

Yeah, so really our framework is the positive action to build community.

And Doctor King calls that beloved community.

And so it's not just about stopping those fights, but it's about creating this inclusive community.

We have peace clubs that meet after school, but beyond that, just creating an atmosphere that everyone belongs, that your differences are beautiful to to this community and so beloved community.

And that's I think that's what creates such a joy that you've expressed that you experienced is because for three weeks, these kids are experiencing beloved community with one another.

So I think they take that and they say, I want to now put this into our school in action, and how can that look?

So a lot of what we do is, is about building that community where we're hearing from each other.

Everybody's voice is equal, everybody's voice is important.

And what you bring, the community is just as important as what I bring the community.

And so like overall that that is the goal there.

You know, I interviewed Doctor Mark Daniel, the superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools, and the conversation was really a report card on how the last school year has gone.

First thing out of his mouth was Peace Peacemaker Academy as the success.

Talk about how you're piloting this in all the schools.

Yeah.

And that partnership has been amazing.

When we started at Southside High School, we didn't go through the district.

It had to be approved for us to go in there.

But we were it was really more of a grassroots thing.

We went straight to the principal at South Side and it was it was very small, but after a couple of years, the impact that Doctor Daniel and his team saw at South Side is what led him to say, we need this in all of our schools.

And so back in 2023, they had the safety referendum, which had two broad components of safe of security and well-being.

And he slid us into this well-being part of it because, you know, you could have weapons detection systems, you can beef up your security, you could do all of that, which is needed unfortunately in this in 2026.

But you know what's really going on?

How can you get at the deeper root of the issues and work with students at that level?

And so in 2024, that's when we expanded into all five of the schools.

So now we have a full time peace advocate at all five of the traditional Fort Wayne community schools, high schools.

And now our contract this past year was expanded to include an additional peace advocate for the alternative schools, which are there as an alternative to expulsion for students.

So it's been an incredible journey in partnership.

We didn't expect it to grow this quickly, but it's taken off because it's it's been impactful.

Yeah.

It's been really resonating.

Yes, yes.

What what is success in for a student that goes through the program?

What does success look like?

What do you hope that every student gets out of out of going through Peacemaker Academy?

That's a good question.

To be the best version of themselves, I mean, for lack of a better phrase, just just to thrive with all of the gifts, talents, abilities that they have to believe first, that they have that value, but then to live into that.

And so I think those opportunities will create peace in the world.

But to have that, that these individuals, these, these young people really see the value that they really have to their community.

Khalid I'm going to I'm going to end it with you and give you the last word.

If you, you know, you run across a student that's disaffected and angry and, and, you know, it's, you know, lashing out, maybe wants to do some violence.

How do you how do you address them?

What do you say to them based on your training that you have?

Based off my training and what I've learned, I would tell them about principle three of nonviolence attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil.

If they're experiencing very negative emotions, I would tell them, hey, find out what's causing all these negative emotions.

If I know what's at the root of what's making you feel this way, and when they go after that, that's when I feel like they'll truly, truly understand peace.

Ed: Have you had that connection Have you had those moments?

Yes, oh my goodness principle, three attack forces of evil.

Not personally doing evil really resonated with me the most out of any principal.

Okay.

All right.

Well, it's amazing work that you guys are doing.

The Peacemaker Academy is just one of the programs offered by Alive Community services.

You can find them online at AliveFW.org Thank you very much for being here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

Good Job School is back.

And along with it comes the daily complicated challenge of making sure.

Kids get to school in the morning and home in the afternoon.

Widespread bus driver shortages have caused big headaches in recent years, but school transportation departments across the region are going all out to cover their bus routes before the school bell rings this year.

Here to discuss her reporting on the issue is Ashley Sloboda, senior education reporter at the Journal Gazette.

Ashley, welcome to the 260 Hi, nice to be here.

So what were the problems last year?

Last spring specifically, Right?

Well, at Fort Wayne Community Schools, staffing issues caught up with them.

And Darren has with the school district told me that it was just a mix of things that could have been medical leaves or resignations that were unexpected.

And all of a sudden they didn't have enough drivers to cover all routes.

And usually they help.

Substitute bus drivers can help them fill the gap.

And then staff members who have commercial driver's license.

Will also pitch in.

But they they weren't even able to get them right.

So what did they.

How did they deal with it?

What did they do?

Well, some of it some of what they had to do to cover.

They did shifts to remote learning.

And that affected secondary schools.

And then they also so they did remote learning some.

And then they also did delays, two hour delays and then early dismissals for two hour early dismissal.

So I imagine parents weren't too thrilled with that.

I get the sense.

Probably not.

Darren said later at school board meeting last month that they know that they cannot do remote learning again if they have to do something like that again, that remote learning isn't an option.

So what are they doing this time around to ensure that that doesn't happen?

Well, they've had some hiring events.

They held a couple of hiring event or events where prospective applicants could test drive a bus.

And they held two of those.

One was more popular than the other, but they over the summer, they were able to get about 50 applicants and 36 were brand new, didn't have any experience.

So they've been training all summer to try to staff, and they should be close to covering all the routes.

Is it difficult to find commercial driver's licenses here to work?

They were saying that it can be difficult.

They can get them for the school year, but then driving a bus is generally, you know, a nine month job for however long the school year is.

So they face the problem of their licensed drivers going to private businesses over the summer to make ends meet.

And then they don't return.

They lose them.

So that's another problem that schools face.

So there's also a tiered system for when the school day starts, right.

Has that made it more difficult.

They went from 3 to 2.

Right.

And has that made it more difficult or less difficult.

Well, he just said that Darren said that the shift from 3 to 2, it it makes it so the secondary the middle and high schools are more affected by transportation interruptions because that's the largest group of students that need transportation.

So that's why they're affected.

And he mentioned that it the shift from 3 to 2 tiers has been beneficial in other areas, just like kids doing after school activities or jobs.

But so there's been some creative tinkering, right?

That's gone on.

Carroll High School has done something interesting, right.

Carroll, this year, the school board approved in July to implement a walk zone for Carroll High School and the board packet that the board members were given said that this is the last Allen County high school to implement a walk sewn.

It's only affecting about 150 students within about a mile radius.

And although leaders there noted that you will see in the walk zone, it excludes some houses on Bethel Road right across from the high school.

And that's because there weren't sidewalks.

They were trying to be really mindful of making sure that students who had to walk had a safe way to walk.

To school.

Ed: And explain a walk zone.

Just the bussing won't be provided for them.

So okay.

But it's safe and well designed for kids.

They made sure that the neighborhoods had sidewalks and proper lighting.

Some board members asked, you know, could we look at this for another school?

I think they mentioned asked about one of the middle schools and they said, well, problem with that is that there's no lighting in whatever area the board member was talking about.

So they want to make sure.

Sure, with kids starting when it's dark in the winter, going to school and coming home, that there are well-lit areas for the kids.

To walk.

Ed: And all the school districts will be hiring all the time, right?

It's this is this is a need in the area.

Yes.

They are always hiring.

And it seemed like the the transportation directors that I talked with didn't want to jinx himself, even if they felt comfortable for the school year.

They were afraid to say it because.

They know it just takes one resignation for them to have to hire.

And they talk about that hiring a long process, it can take a couple of months.

All right.

You heard it here, folks.

Good jobs available.

Actually.

Thank you so much for your reporting on the on the issue.

Ashley Sloboda is senior education reporter at the Journal.

You can read her reporting at Journal Gazette dot net.

Thanks for being on the two six up.

Thank you.

There's been much discussion in the last few years about the need for better civics education for young people.

Well, in Decatur, Indiana, the Mayor's Youth Council isn't just learning about government.

They're helping shape it.

High school students attend city meetings, work alongside leaders, and even develop community improvement projects that leave a lasting impact.

Here to tell us about the program is Youth Council member Bridget Jeungel community coordinator Jamie Gephardt and Dan Rickord, the mayor of Decatur who started the council in 2022.

Welcome to the 260.

Thank you, thanks for the invite Dan, what was the inspiration for this?

You know, honestly, it started in 2019 when I was campaigning and a lot of people asked me what I was going to do to keep our children and grandchildren in our community.

So I thought, why not ask them, help us build a place where they want to live?

Ed: Wow.

Ask them what a concept.

Jamie, how do you bring kids into the program?

So we work with Belmont High School, the guidance counselors there, they help suggest students, but we also open it up to anybody at Belmont.

And every August we have a startup meeting and hand out applications.

Ed: All right, Bridget.

Youre a council member.

What what did you actually do on the youth council?

Well, we during Christmas time, we went and did some angel trees.

And we also go to the nursing home and play games with them and do crafts.

Ed: Ok, what attracted you to being on the youth council?

Something kind of associated with city government, which sounds dry and boring.

But what attracted you?

Well, I wanted to learn more about, like, how our community runs and what all like each department does.

That way I'm not just like, oh, hey, there's that.

And I actually know what's going on.

Bridget, what did you think about what city government was before you got to peek into it?

I thought I was like, dang, that's some boring stuff.

Dang.

That some boring stuff.

And what did you find?

They do a lot more.

They are always trying to help our community and do what's best.

Like similarly, like the beautification group, they are reaching out and they take applications on like repainting houses.

And just like our community based.

Ed: Mayor, what were you hoping that the kids would get to experience?

So partially, it's about the inner workings of city government, but also getting them involved in the community.

And then the third thing that I really enjoy is picking their brains and finding out their ideas and their opinions of our community.

They ever give you a new perspective that you weren't expecting?

Yeah, I heard nodding.

One of the comments was that park is trashy and you know, and we want to hear that the girl that actually said it felt bad and I said, no, we need to know that.

And it was about the volleyball courts that had a bunch of sticks and things in it that needed fixed.

And, you know, we want to hear that from the youth.

Is that part of the beautification project you were talking about, or was that a different one?

That was just in one of our monthly meetings.

We asked them, what do you see around the community?

What would you like changed?

You know, beautification program is something that got started a few years ago, and the beautification group actually went to city council and took this project to them and asked for funding.

And what they do is there's $15,000 that they're able to ask the residents of the community, put in an application, you can get up to $500 reimbursed.

It can be for painting a house.

It can be for landscape work, just beautification work for the residents property.

How many kids on the council.

This year?

Last year we had 21 kids on the council.

Wow.

All right, so do you guys.

Do you guys, like, have meetings?

Do you.

Do you argue?

Do you get like is are there disagreements in the council about what we should do?

Bridget?

There's it's not necessarily disagreements but like differences on like what we should do.

But they they always make sure that our opinions are heard on it.

Speaking of your opinions, what have you had any shifts in opinions or insights into city government or working with other people?

I mean, how has this affected your your perspectives?

It's definitely opened my mind more on like how like even if you don't necessarily understand what someone is saying, that doesn't mean their opinion is bad.

You just need to listen to them more and you might learn from them.

Look at that, mayor.

That's good.

That's great.

Right?

What do you see yourself having a role in city government?

one year?

I'm not sure yet.

Yeah.

Okay.

Has this did you pick this up as a model from another city?

Is it a model for other cities.

So early on, a couple of my mentors were Mayor Daniel and Columbia City and Mayor Wood and Mishawaka, and they both had youth councils.

Ed: So new school year.

Come in, Will.

There'll be a new council.

Will you still be on it?

Yes.

And do you have goals?

Do you set goals for something that's happening in the year, or is it mostly dictated by what's going on in the city?

It's pretty much dictated by what's going on within the city, and also what the students that are on at that year want to focus on.

And is it everything you hoped it would be?

I love it, I love it, I love to hear the opinions from the youth council.

Do you go in and hang out with them in the council?

Yep.

And we also created a space for them in City Hall where they can come work on homework.

Work on projects.

Yeah.

All right.

Your city government at work.

Fantastic.

You guys, the mayor's youth Council of Decatur, Indiana, thank you for joining us here on the 260.

Thank you.

You guys.

Are great.

That's great.

The 260 is a PBS Fort Wayne production made possible by membership donations from viewers like you.

Thank you for your support.

That's all the time we have for this episode.

Please take a moment to appreciate the folks who contributed to the making of this show, and I'll see you next time on the 260.