The start of a new school year also means the return of a very popular program in Pinellas County, called Peacemakers. Traveling from school to school, they are teaching students how to say no to violence and yes to conflict resolution.

St. Luke Early Childhood Center in Palm Harbor is one of more than 40 schools throughout Pinellas County that the Peacemaker Program visits every year. The program is run through Hope Villages of America.

Instructor Kim Gelazin will interact with about 3,500 pre-school and kindergarten students during the year.

We teach them to use their words, not their hands, we talk about the problems, we talk about conflict resolution, that feelings are okay to have and its okay to feel angry, but we teach them ways to deal with anger, said Gelazin.

Hope Villages of

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