Rebels for Peace in Schools

CHANGING MINDS AND UNCOVERING RESILIENCE IN SCHOOLS.

The Rebels for peace leadership team delivers state of the art resilience and mindset classes to youth in elementary school.

We use a mixture of fun, activities, and evidence-based Social Emotional curriculums to create an engaging learning experience that ensures impactful and lasting change.

Our Programs

We work with youth from 9 - 25 years old, in two core programs:

1. Rebels for Peace Youth Leaders – A transformational leadership program for south side Chicago youth ages 16-25 designed to improve mental health, uncover resilience, and teach them how to mentor the next generation. Armed with the power of their mind and unwavering commitment to unity and peace, the Rebels for Peace are improving their own lives and leading the way for the next generation to not only survive but THRIVE.

2. The Mini Rebels for Peace – An interactive, engaging, and evidence-based Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program taught by the Rebels for Peace youth leaders to 4th-8th grade students in south side Chicago public schools that decreases conflict, violence, and behavioral issues by increasing mental health, resilience, and problem-solving capacity.

“The Rebels for Peace have truly made me a believer in their vision! The implementation of this school-based, social and emotional curriculum for our 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade boys has been amazing. The facilitators have exceeded our expectations and proven themselves, time and time again, with their commitment to executing the curriculum and building the rapport with our students. They are supporting our kids in learning, reflecting, enhancing their behavior management, improving self-control and conflict resolution. I am so thankful that we are in alignment and partnering to answer the desperate call to pour into the mental health of our youth. Truly, Thank You for your service, Rebels!” – Counselor, Chicago Public School

– Counselor, Chicago Public School

The Rebels in Schools Process

This experience is designed to both transform the student and allow that young person to help transform their surroundings.

The program has 3 key features and the following timeline.

Base SEL and Resilience curriculum

We begin by using a 12-week Evidence-Based Curriculum called S.P.A.R.K, teaching them the fundamentals of how the mind works, how to access their resilience, how to deal with emotions, reactions, and destructive thoughts, and more. This is NOT your typical SEL training. It is done BY youth, in a new, engaging, and interactive way. The combination of evidence-based foundation and youthful expressions is the KEY to getting through to the kids.

In depth lessons and discussions

We then continue with 13 weeks of follow-up learning experiences where we interact with youth and continue lessons, responding to the needs of each student. Their mind, wellbeing and resilience are the keys to not only working well in school, but also helps them in life in general.

Long term support

Lastly we highly prioritize schools that see the value in long-term support - helping youth through different grades and experiences and having their back on the long term. This is not a ‘come and go’-program, we want to ensure the students get a solid foundation and that we can help the school deal with SEL challenges throughout their school experience. This can be anything from quarterly check-ins to monthly, to weekly - and is tailored to each school.

About the Spark Curriculum

The S.P.A.R.K. Mentoring curricula use age appropriate content and activities that have been proven to effectively reduce risk around high-school drop-out, drug use, bullying, suicide, depression and anxiety, while uncovering resiliency around academic success, impulse control, stress resistance, social-emotional skills and healthy relationships.
These programs prepare students for the self-sufficiency and resiliency needed to become successful young adults.

The S.P.A.R.K. Mentoring Programs address the following risk and protective factors:

Academic Success
Emotional Competency
Self-Efficacy Skills
Communication Skills
Conflict Resolution Skills
Connectedness to Family, School and Community

Feedback from Principals

What's unique about this program?

1. It is youth-led. 2. It is Evidence-Based 3. It is organic, engaging and fun. While our base teaching follows an evidence-based curriculum, the interaction does not feel like lessons. Teachers and students alike report a significant increase in-class participation, and we consistently have students say things like it’s their favorite class, and that they wish it was longer. 4. Instead of being an extra burden on teachers, we make their job easier. Due to the nature of our focus on the mind and resilience, students become calmer, better listeners and communicators, less reactive and more interested in learning. All of these things ripple into the other classes of the school and helps overall engagement and results.
What is the time commitment?

1. 12 Weeks going through the Spark Curriculum(this is minimum in order to secure impact) 2. 12 Weeks of conversation, activities and lessons from the Rebels going deeper on each topic. 3. Follow-up after that is a minimum once every quarter but can be as much as continual weekly lessons. We prioritize schools that are interested in a long-term partnership. This is the best for the kids because they get long-term involvement in a new way of thinking, and their mentors stay helping them for a long period.
What age group do you work with?

We work with kids and youth from K-12 – but focus on grades 4-8.
What's the background of the youth facilitators?

Our facilitators have been vetted to work in CPS, and are licenced to deliver evidence-based curriculum, as well as has gone through thorough training about the mind, resilience and working with youth.