Student recognized for peer mediation
NORWALK — From a young age, Danny Robillard has been called mayor and senator Danny by his peers and adults alike.
His leadership and collaborative spirit are what earned him such nicknames, his mother Jane said.
“Since 5, he’s had this sort of drive,” she said.
Robillard, who graduated Wednesday from Brien McMahon High School, was recently hon- ored for his display of optimism, empathy, listening skills and willingness to collaborate with others as a longtime peer mediator. He received the Pillsbury Youth Peacemaker Award from Community Mediation Inc., the state’s oldest community-based mediation program, and is the spotlight student for June.
The president of his school’s Peer Mediation club, Robillard has helped resolve conflicts between his fellow classmates since eighth grade. He first witnessed and experienced the true impact of peer mediation that year and also won an award.
“I realized how almost 10 times out of 10 it always works,” Robillard said. “It’s a thing that people don’t really consider that often but it’s something that really is the first step that everyone, and in every school, should be taking whenever there is a conflict.”
Students either request a peer mediation or are referred by a counselor or a house master.
Either way, the students involved need to be willing to participate in a peer mediation.
Robillard said the biggest part of being a mediator is not coming up with a solution but helping two or more students reach a solution together, whether it takes 15 minutes or two hours. He reaches this point by asking clarifying questions and reiterating points to clear up misunderstandings, which is the most common reason for the conflicts he’s sat in, he said.
He feels there have been increased misunderstandings among his peers over the years because most communication is now done on the internet or social media.
“You see it more and more common that kids are not ever talking face to face, and that’s what I’ve seen has created more conflicts and more miscommunication,” he said. “And that’s one of the pros in peer mediation because we’re sitting kids down and that’s sort of the first time they’re able to talk about that conflict not in that circumstance and not in that setting.”
Robillard was nominated by school counselor John Castelluzzo, who has been the co- adviser of Brien McMahon’s Peer Mediation group for the past 11 years.
While most students have the instinct to rush a mediation, Castelluzzo said Robillard is thoughtful and careful with his approach.
“Danny really does try to go through each step thoroughly and tries to really, really communicate or ask open-ended ques- tions so that way it gives more of an opportunity to really express themselves more openly,” Castelluzzo said.
“Conflict is a part of everyday life. But I think it’s important for kids to know that there’s an option before it has to go to the next level,” he added.
This is the first year that Community Mediation is highlighting students from kindergarten through grade 12, said Genese Clark, the program coordinator who presented Robillard with the award June 13.
The monthly student spotlight is an offshoot of the Charles Pillsbury Peacemaker Award, named in honor of Charles A. Pillsbury, currently the executive director of Mediators Beyond Borders and the former executive director of Community Mediation.
Youth peacemakers must meet at least three of the four criteria: being empathetic, optimistic, a good listener and someone who works toward collaboration instead of compromise.
Clark said Robillard met all four and a “young change agent” that is making the world a better place.
“I am very excited when I meet a young person like yourself, who is shifting the culture in their school, in their community and maybe even in their family from conflict to connection,” Clark said to Robillard while presenting the award. “And that’s what peer mediation is about: It’s all about shifting conflict to connection.”
Robillard will attend Franklin and Marshall College in the fall with plans to study government and economics.