Principia Upper School Hosts Second Annual Mediation Tournament
The Upper School hosted its second annual, high school-level mediation tournament over two days in late November, bringing in three local high schools (Thomas Jefferson School and Jefferson High School) as well as a team from a high school in North Carolina. Participating schools had one or more teams per school which combined to make eight total teams.
Principia partnered with the INADR (International Academy of Dispute Resolution) to create an enriching experience for participating students to hone their skills as effective problem solvers and peacemakers. Thirteen students participated from Principia.
“The judges were exceptional, most of them are attorneys or professional mediators who provided authentic real-world feedback," said Co-Chair of the St. Louis Regional High School Mediation Committee and Principia Mediation Team Coach Patti Fox. "This is an invaluable opportunity for students to gain experience in collaborating and working together to find solutions agreeable to both sides of an issue."
While mediation is common at the college level, there are few teams and tournaments that take place at the high school level. Last year, Principia was the flagship school for the first high school mediation tournament to take place in the country. Tournament organizers/coaches Patti Fox and Don Sterrett agree that the communication and creative problem-solving skills developed through mediation are vital for young adults entering a polarized and challenging world.
“In this tournament, students are forced to grapple with real-life cases, often involving legal and moral complexities,” said Coach Don Sterrett, who also serves as Principia’s Director of Instructional Coaching and Teacher Training. “Learning to lead thoughtful discussions with confidence and finding common ground in the midst of disagreement and confusion are incredibly valuable lessons that we believe students will carry with them.”
So, what does a mediation tournament look like? The competition consists of three rounds in which students take on the role of mediator, client, and advocate in teams of three. Each round lasts approximately two hours, with ample time for feedback from judges and mentors. Then, the top three teams from each school are selected to move on to the final round.
“Mediation has brought me an understanding of how to better interact with someone I may not completely agree with, and how to not only communicate with them but successfully make new connections,” said Jesse Gathungu, a junior competing in this year’s tournament.
Principia’s Jesse Gathungu came in second place in mediation. In the client/advocate roles, Nina Okike and Autumn Wangler (who are also juniors) came in third place for the School.