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NIPSCO grant funds Peacemaker program, allowing middle school expansion

Ella Abbott
/
WBOI News
FILE PHOTO: Graduates of the 2024 Peacemakers program include students from all five of the district's high schools.

The Peacemakers initiative through Alive Community Outreach and Fort Wayne Community Schools received a $25,000 boost at the end of 2024.

According to the release, the end-of-year grant from NIPSCO and its parent company NiSource will allow the expansion of the program into middle schools, as well as continuing to grow its high school initiatives.

The nonviolent leadership development program launched at South Side High School in 2021. It involves sophomores, juniors, and seniors in a three-week long summer academy, focusing on “developing leaders who are committed to making peace in their school and community.”

Early last year, the program expanded to all five FWCS high schools. This past summer, students from all five graduated from the program.

Rev. Angelo Mante is the executive director of the program. In a release announcing the grant award, Mante said that the program will help the organization “break the cycle of violence more effectively by helping us build the capacity and infrastructure to sustain and amplify our impact.”

The program now serves 8,000 high school students.

According to the release, the end-of-year grant from NIPSCO and its parent company NiSource will allow the expansion of the program into middle schools, as well as continuing to grow its high school initiatives.

Rebecca manages the news at WBOI. She joined the staff in December 2017, and brought with her nearly two decades of experience in print journalism, including 15 years as an award-winning reporter for the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne.