the award

The award shall consist of a certificate, a medallion imprinted with the student's name, and a monetary gift. The student's name shall also be imprinted on a plaque that will be placed in a prominent space in the school's district and will have spaces so that the names of future recipients can be inserted.

The certificate:  In the long run, this may be the most important part of the award since the student can use it as a character reference in application for employment, for higher education, or for any number of endeavors.

The plaque:  This will be a visible reminder to every student in the present and in future generations that kindness matters and is recognized and memorialized by the community.

The monetary gift:  However large or small this gift is, it signals that it is not just the school or one's peers, but the larger community as well that values the courage to be kind.

The medallion:  Like a piece of jewelry, this is a visible symbol of the student's outstanding character.

community involveMENT

Each community should have one or more sponsoring organizations for each school in the district and each organization will set the cash amount awarded to the Peace Maker(s). There are two reasons for this: First, the more schools there are in a district, the greater the financial draw on each sponsoring organization but conversely, the more organizations that are involved, the more robust the financial reward that can be given to the Peace Maker. Also, the greater the financial contribution is, the more awards that can be granted in a particular school. Secondly, it isn't just kids that bully one another. Name calling, the belittling of one another and the demeaning of those whose political, religious, ethnic, or sexual beliefs can no longer be tolerated. The hope is that by enlisting the community and as many organizations as possible, we can signal to parents and other adults that not only is bullying amongst ourselves unacceptable, but that kindness has a tangible value.