Empowering Peace: AAA-ICDR Foundation and Western Justice Center Enhance El Monte Schools with Conflict Resolution Education

By Kendal Enz

Every Oct. 17, Conflict Resolution Day reminds us of the transformative power of non-violent communication and cross-cultural collaboration. It is a day to reflect on how we can contribute to a more harmonious world, from our local communities to the global stage. In celebration of this year’s Conflict Resolution Day, the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution Foundation^® (AAA-ICDR Foundation^®) is proud to highlight one of its standout grant recipients—the Western Justice Center (WJC).

The Western Justice Center partners with elementary and secondary schools to provide them with comprehensive conflict resolution education and restorative justice tools. Thanks to a $150,000 grant from the AAA-ICDR Foundation, WJC will launch a five-year partnership with El Monte City School District for transitional kindergarten (TK) through eighth grade. The grant will also allow WJC to deepen its existing partnerships with other school districts, serving students from TK through 12th grade. The collective impact of these efforts will affect learning environments for more than 25,000 students at over 40 schools across Los Angeles County.

“The AAA-ICDR Foundation was inspired to support the Western Justice Center’s initiative in El Monte schools because it embodies our commitment to fostering conflict resolution and empathy in young communities,” said Tracey Frisch, executive director of the AAA-ICDR Foundation. “By introducing restorative justice practices, this initiative equips students with essential tools for building strong relationships, reducing conflict, and promoting a culture of understanding and collaboration. It aligns perfectly with our goal of empowering young people to create environments where differences are embraced, and conflicts are managed constructively.”

The Western Justice Center will teach students and staff peer mediation and how to facilitate restorative justice circles, which focus on resolving conflict through accountability and building and strengthening relationships and community. It will also assist administrators with implementation. 

“We’re there from beginning to end and every point in between,” said Elissa Barrett, WJC executive director. “We’re there to help students become effective peer mediators, restorative circle facilitators and community leaders. We’re there to build the capacity of administrators, educators, counselors and other adults to run those peer mediation programs and to integrate restorative practices into every part of the educational experience—classroom management, curriculum design, discipline procedures, parental engagement and more.”

This comprehensive support equips students and staff with essential skills and lays the groundwork for the program’s long-term sustainability. “Our goal is to work ourselves out of a job,” said Shaune Gatlin, WJC conflict resolution education programs director. “We want our school partners to be able to sustain this work long-term. We’re here to help them reorient the culture and policies around how they approach traditional discipline with a more restorative mindset. But first, we have to build trust.”

Building trust is a central theme for WJC. “Trust helps us on an individual level with students and staff. It also helps us get to the root of deeper issues at play—the impact of multigenerational poverty, systemic racism and gentrification are among those challenges our communities face,” Barret said. “Trust and their collective wisdom and strength are what we need to make meaningful, lasting change. What we need to succeed.”

Indicators of WJC’s success include students effectively de-escalating conflicts and resolving differences among their peers without adult intervention, improved attendance rates, and reductions in detention, suspension and expulsion. Additionally, increased teacher job satisfaction highlights the positive impact of the program. “Restorative practices empower teachers to build trust, a sense of belonging, connection and mutual respect with their students,” Barrett said. 

While the WJC’s partnership with El Monte has only recently begun, it has already resulted in the peaceful resolution of conflicts. One example comes from the district’s Opportunity Program, which serves at-promise middle school students. 

“One of the students was really struggling to manage their temper, and the staff we had trained over the summer brought everyone into a restorative circle. Because the teachers created space for the child to be vulnerable instead of punishing them for their behavior, they learned that the child’s family was unhoused and that they felt scared and hungry,” Gatlin said. 

The teachers introduced a prompt for the next round of sharing in the circle: “What is your favorite food?” The answer: “Pancakes!” This led the group to decide to learn how to make pancakes from scratch and share a meal.

“It’s a classic example of using de-escalation techniques like listening, showing curiosity and mirroring—core mediation tools,” Gatlin said. “Instead of being punished, this child and their peers were met with kindness and healing. That’s the ripple effect we hope to create.” 

This Conflict Resolution Day, we celebrate the WJC’s efforts to enhance the educational landscape of El Monte School District and other school communities across Southern California. By promoting peace and understanding, WJC is planting the seeds for a more compassionate and connected society.

On February 19 and 25, 2025, WJC will hold its 20th Annual Peer Mediation Invitational (PMI) at The California Endowment in Downtown Los Angeles. This summit brings together student mediators across the region and offers them hands-on experience through mock mediation sessions. Volunteer mediators who can provide students with the guidance and feedback necessary to hone their skills are critical to these mock mediation sessions. To learn more and become a Mediation Mentor, visit www.westernjustice.org/mediation-mentors-pmi.

For more information about the AAA-ICDR Foundation and its support of innovative conflict resolution programs, visit the AAA-ICDR Foundation website.