By Katie Fitzgerald
This story is part of an Outlook series showcasing agencies affiliated with United Appeal for Athens County. This year's countywide campaign goal is $203,000.
When the lack of volunteers to support traditional troops diminished in Nelsonville, the Seal of Ohio Girl Scouts decided not to stop serving girls in the area. Now four years into an in-school scouting program, the organization is working with not only girls, but boys as well.
Instead of traditional troops, an in-school scouting program that is based on conflict management has been incorporated into the curriculum at both the elementary and junior high school serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
"This is one of those programs that you only put in very special places," said Debbie Sawatzky, membership director. "Nelsonville is the perfect place for it," she added. The community is small with only one elementary, junior high and high school. This allows them to begin working with very young students on developing communication skills and an appreciation for diversity and continue the learning process with the same students, incorporating problem solving strategies as they grow older.
Starting in kindergarten, students begin attending the conflict management class once a week. They begin to talk about topics such as "How are we alike?" or "How are we different?" The topics evolve as they progress through higher grades discussing cooperation, competition, bullying and solving and appreciating differences.
"We are being proactive instead of reactive," Sawatzky said. "The goal behind the program is for them to get along with one another."
Elementary students attend the class once a week where the personnel are on hand the entire week and have a schedule similar to that of a teacher. It's a special program that is worked into their schedule. In junior high, students attend the class as part of their enrichment period every day for six weeks.
This is the first full-year for the program at the junior high, which started there last spring.
"The relationship that develops between the organizations is essential," Sawatzky said. "Nelsonville has been terrific. It's a true collaboration that you just don't see very often."
The conflict resolution class teaches skills very different from those acquired in a traditional troop experience such as the one-on-one partnerships with adults and leadership recognition.
"I'd love to be able to have both," Sawatzky said.
The organization holds a volunteer drive annually to recruit adults willing to be a troop leader or assistant.
Katie Fitzgerald is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.
