NIU PeaceJam Scholars, Northern Illinois University’s chapter of international organization PeaceJam, will screen a documentary about five at-risk U.S. teenagers whose lives were transformed through working side-by-side with Novel Peace Prize laureates such as the Dalai Lama, Archibishop Desmond Tutu, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Oscar Arias.
The film will show from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in Learning Center 01F of Gabel Hall. The event is free and open to all.
PeaceJam’s mission is to unite youth and Nobel Peace Laureates and, together, perform a billion “acts of peace” or service.
At NIU, College of Education professor David Shernoff launched the organization last year with an internal instructional improvement grant that paid for two years of fees for the group to join and receive official recognition from PeaceJam. The group also is officially recognized by the NIU Student Association.
While most PeaceJam groups exist as classes or clubs in the high school, middle school or elementary school level, PeaceJam Scholars is a name reserved for higher education groups. Shernoff and students in NIU’s organization eventually hope to form partnerships in local DeKalb high, middle and elementary schools to tutor or facilitate PeaceJam clubs there.
Another perk of membership is the annual and highly charged regional youth conferences, which always are attended by participating Nobel Peace Laureates. The regional Great Lakes PeaceJam is based in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Thanks to last year’s grant, NIU sent several students who had transformational experiences.
For more information about the Oct. 17 screening, email niupeacejam@gmail.com.
