Showcasing an Exciting Summer and the Fall’s Evolution of JEP’s Peace Project
This fall, the USC Joint Educational Project (JEP) is excited to showcase one of its standout programs, the Peace Project, which continues to make a lasting impact on both the local community and USC students. In partnership with the SoLa Community Peace Center, the Peace Project, led by JEP program assistant Leyla Lopez, equips Los Angeles youth with essential peacemaking techniques and socioemotional skills. This hands-on initiative not only provides children with tools for peaceful communication and conflict resolution but also allows USC students to engage in meaningful community engagement.
Over the summer, Leyla took part in our Public Service Internship (PSI) with the SoLa Community Peace Center, dedicating herself full-time to working for the summer Peace Camp. With a focus on “A Community of Gardens,” Leyla helped with administrative work, led after-school activities, and assisted in creating the summer newsletter. “I loved learning more about the kids, how they deal with conflict, and seeing their emotional growth,” Leyla shared, reflecting on her experience. Witnessing the return of former Peace Camp graduates—now high schoolers teaching the curriculum—was one of the many highlights of her internship.
Leyla’s work over the summer has also helped prepare her for the fall semester, as JEP rolls out exciting new assignments for the Peace Project participants. In addition to the long-standing Mini-Team assignment, where USC students work together to teach violence prevention and socioemotional skills, JEP is introducing two new offerings for the USC students to become a part of: Peace Camp and an After-School program.
The Peace Camp provides a safe space for Los Angeles youth to explore global conflicts and brainstorm ways to make positive changes, while also teaching calming techniques like meditation. Topics for the fall include Indigenous People’s Day, LatinX History Month, and Eco-justice, among others. JEP students will assist SoLa staff in running the camp and helping children learn valuable peacemaking techniques.
The After-School Program provides tutoring and instruction in the Peace Project curriculum to elementary students at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. JEP students will work closely with children, building skills in communication, empathy, and conflict resolution in a safe after-school environment. Although this program will be limited to 3-4 JEP students, it represents an exciting opportunity for our students to make a direct impact on the lives of young learners.
What makes all of those options of the Peace Project particularly unique is its focus on skills that aren’t commonly covered in traditional education. While other service-learning programs, including many of our own, focus on subjects like math or science—areas that are already integrated into school curriculums—the concepts of peace, conflict resolution, and emotional regulation are rarely addressed. This makes the Peace Project assignments a special opportunity, both for the students we work with and the USC students who facilitate the learning.
As Angela Wu, a USC student in the Peace Project recalls, “The Peace Project assignment was very different from my Oceanography JEP assignment because the kids, despite being young, found it easy to focus during those lessons. I think it’s in large part due to the nature of the curriculum. Especially the yoga component of the lesson plan always helped set the tone for them.”
The Peace Project of course also continues to offer a meaningful way for students to engage in community service while developing critical skills that will serve them in their future endeavors. As Leyla noted, “The skills I’ve gained in conflict resolution, time management, and adaptability are applicable everywhere—especially as I pursue my future career in law.”