Your Support Lifts Every School in Our Network

Safe School Initiatives (SSI)

“Programs like these are essential in shaping not just good students, but good citizens. We truly appreciate PeaceMaker Minnesota's mission and your dedication to providing youth with these life-changing experiences. Thank you for investing in our students and helping us build a kinder school culture.”

— Vice- Principal at Wilshire Park Elementary (St. Anthony)



This academic year, your generosity helped Safe School Initiatives support 12 schools across Minnesota, reaching 1,981 students and 264 school staff members — including three brand new schools welcomed into the network this year, with four more already requesting to join for 2026-27.

Here's what makes Safe School Initiatives different: it's built on collaboration, and donors make that collaboration possible. Without your support, many of these schools couldn't afford programs like a Youth Frontiers Kindness Retreat or a visit from the Story Table Foundation —

and individual teachers wouldn't have the resources to build initiatives of their own. Thanks to PeaceMaker donors, schools can access $1,000 annually for just a $100 participation fee, and some schools draw on that funding twice in a single year. This makes peacemaking education accessible.

None of this happens without YOU. Your gift turns into a Kindness Retreat, a sensory room, a classroom library — real tools, in real schools, in the hands of real kids. Thank you for being the tide that lifts every boat in our network.

Want to help bring a Kindness Retreat, a sensory room, or a classroom library to a school near you?

Program Developments

What's growing, changing, and strengthening our work

Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening across our programs in schools and communities.

Books for Peacemakers

Students from Highland Catholic with their copies of Ease the Tease by Judy S. Freedman, M.S.W., and Mimi P. Black, Ph.D. The book, part of the Little Laugh & Learn® series, is illustrated by Steve Mark.

This year, PeaceMaker Minnesota brought skill building books to students across 14 schools in seven communities — from Minneapolis and St. Paul to Bayport, Isanti, Golden Valley, White Bear Lake, Champlin, South St. Paul, and Eagan.

A teacher at Highland Catholic School captured what makes the program resonate: "I loved the book — it gave great advice on how to manage conflict in a relatable way."

We're already looking ahead to fall 2026, with five schools signed up to receive books, including a new addition, The Journey School in St. Paul. We'd love to add more — if your school is interested, contact us at info@peacemakermn.org.

Ambassadors for Respect

Ambassadors from the Branch Out Transition Program receive well-deserved recognition at the ISD 197 School Board Meeting — proof that when we give students a stage, they rise to it.

May was a remarkable month for the Ambassadors for Respect program. Twenty-seven classrooms across ten schools were trained, reaching 641 fourth graders. Ambassador teams from Home and Community Options (Winona), Cannon Valley Special Education Cooperative (Faribault), WACOSA (St. Cloud), Merrick (Vadnais Heights), BUILD Program (Bethel University), and STAARS (Hastings) led the trainings.

In a standout moment, Ambassadors from the Branch Out Transition Program were recognized at the ISD 197 School Board Meeting. Their coach, Carrie Garcia, said it best:

"Students who have a disability label do not get a lot of recognition in schools. I am grateful to the Ambassadors for Respect Program, which created this opportunity for my students to become Ambassadors for Respect and teach 4th graders about what it's like to be excluded because of a disability — and that they are more than that label. My students talked about inclusion and anti-bullying and made a difference in the world, and I am so proud of them."

Peace Guide Services

I'm still happy for the time that I did get." — a student's goodbye to their Peace Guide.

The Peace Guide team finished the 2025-26 school year strong. In May alone, they served 420 students — 226 through one-on-one conversations and 242 through group sessions. One teacher said it simply in our year-end survey: "She provides essential guidance, assistance, and conflict resolution for our students. I don't know what we would do without her."

But perhaps the most meaningful measure of the year came in the form of a handwritten goodbye note from a second grader — pictured above — that ended with this:

"You help me a lot! You are kind and cool. You are nice — on God's green earth. I will miss you a lot. Love, Bye."

That's the work. That's why it matters.

2025-26 Peace Guide Team: front row (from left): Raina, Erin, Hayla, back row (from left): Kyoko, Kristan, Eileen, Kiara, Hannah. Not pictured: Stella

At PeaceMaker Minnesota

Here’s what’s happening across our organization as we continue our work in schools and communities

Our Board of Directors

New Leadership; New Seats at the Table

PeaceMaker Minnesota is pleased to announce that Gwen Gmeinder was elected Board Chairperson at our February 17th board meeting.

Gwen has served on PeaceMaker's board of directors since January 2020, most recently as Secretary. She brings decades of experience to this role as a retired Government Relations Associate for the University of Minnesota Extension program.

As she steps into this new role, Gwen shared her hopes for the board's future:

"PeaceMaker Minnesota is a dynamic organization helping kids learn respect, empathy, and tools to talk through conflict without causing harm. We are looking to expand our capacity to reach schools across the state and in every school district. If you care about kids and want to help the cause of peacemaking, please consider applying to join our board. There are so many ways to get involved in our work, and increasing our board membership will help us reach more schools."

Interested in learning more about joining PeaceMaker Minnesota's board of directors? Check out the position details here, and if interested, contact us at info@peacemakermn.org to learn more.

Meet Our Intern

PeaceMaker Minnesota is delighted to welcome Owen, a senior at Macalester College from Woodbury, Minnesota, studying political science and economics. Owen recently returned from a study abroad program in Northern Ireland, where he immersed himself in conflict resolution and peacebuilding — and found that the skills he was learning translated naturally to the work happening right here in Minnesota. This summer, he's bringing that passion to PeaceMaker, learning how mission-driven nonprofits operate from the inside and helping us expand our reach in the community. We're glad he's here.

Hear from Owen in his own words by clicking on the video.

Employment & Internships

Vote for PeaceMaker Quest!

Exciting news — PeaceMaker Quest has been named a finalist for the Games, Education, and Entertainment Learning Game Awards, which recognize excellence in educational game design. The winner of the People's Choice Award is determined by public vote, and we'd love your support.

Voting is quick, easy, and you don't need to have played the game to participate. Just one vote per person, please. Voting closes at midnight on July 8th.

Cast your vote here →

Every vote helps raise the profile of PeaceMaker Quest — and the work behind it.

Peacemaking in Daily Life

What a year of letting people do the lifting builds

The end of the school year has a way of inviting reflection — not just for kids, but for all of us. We look back at the conversations we've had, the conflicts we've navigated, and the moments we handled differently than we might have a year ago.

Back in April, we talked about a small but powerful shift — resisting the urge to jump in and fix things, and instead giving people room to work through their own challenges. We called it letting them do the lifting. That applies to the kids in our lives. It also applies to our coworkers, our partners, our friends — and to ourselves.

Growth like this is often quiet, making it easy to miss. But look back over the year, and it's everywhere. The student who once needed a teacher to step in during recess is now the one helping two friends work things out. The coworker who used to come to you with every decision is now confidently making the call themselves. The friend who once needed you to talk them through every hard feeling now calls to share — not to be fixed.

That's self-esteem. That's self-confidence. That's self-reliance. None of it happened because someone told them what to do. It happened because someone believed they could find their own way and made the space for it.

One Last Thing Worth Practicing

As you continue to enjoy your summer, there's one more skill worth naming: acknowledging. Not just listening, but actually telling someone — a child, a coworker, a partner, a friend — that you've noticed how far they've come. It doesn't have to be big. "I remember when this was really hard for you. Look at you now." That's it. That's the whole thing.

It's a small sentence. But hearing that your growth was seen can matter as much as the growth itself — for an eight-year-old, and for the rest of us too.

Tell Us About It

Did you witness a moment of growth this year — in a student, a coworker, a friend, or yourself? We'd love to hear about it.

Your generosity makes it possible for PeaceMaker Minnesota to provide Peace Guides, books and book discussions, Ambassadors for Respect trainings, and grants that help children and educators build a culture of respect, empathy, and problem-solving. Because of donors like you, schools across Minnesota are becoming safer, more inclusive places for kids to learn and grow.



If you believe people and relationships matter — and want to be part of creating a more peaceful world — consider making a gift today. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps a child somewhere learn a skill that will serve them for life.



You can also leave a lasting legacy of peace by including PeaceMaker Minnesota in your will or estate plans. A planned gift ensures that future generations of students will continue to learn conflict resolution and peacemaking skills for years to come. To learn more about creating a lasting impact through planned giving, email Dan McNeil.

Peace Is Worth the Work—Help Spread the Message!