Stuart Given First Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize

Barbara Findley Stuart, Normal, is the first recipient of the Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize from the Illinois State University Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies Program. The award recognizes individuals in Bloomington-Normal for achievements in peacemaking, leadership, initiative, activism, and inspiration within the community.

For several decades, Stuart has promoted peace-building school and justice system programs for students and teachers in Bloomington-Normal and is widely recognized for her tireless volunteer efforts.  Working with the state's attorney, school superintendents, the Boys & Girls Club and others, Stuart has taken a leading role in implementing the Second Step and Rebound programs for kindergartners and junior high students. Her effort focuses on providing teachers and students with materials on social and emotional learning skills such as empathy, anger management, impulse control and problem solving.

Stuart's work has helped to enhance social and emotional health, increase learning, reduce suspensions among junior high students, and reduce disturbances and bullying in schools. Her other activities include the 1999 McLean County conflict resolution conference, the People to People Festival for 3000 students and teachers, drug court, electronic monitoring, mental health court, and the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program.

The Grabill-Homan Community Peace Prize is named for Joseph L. Grabill and Gerlof D. Homan, Illinois State emeritus professors of history, who helped to establish the University's interdisciplinary Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies Program. The prize includes a plaque and a monetary donation to a community organization chosen by the recipient.

The Grabill-Homan Endowment at Illinois State University also awards scholarships to Illinois State peace studies students. This year's scholarship winner was Matthew Miller, a freshman, who has worked with Habitat for Humanity and who will be taking part in a service trip to Thailand this summer.

For more information, contact Michaelene Cox, co-director of Illinois State's Peace Studies program, at mcox@ilstu.edu   To contact Barbara Stuart, call 452-6987, or email bffstuart@yahoo.com