Restorative Process

By Kyelah Vincent

My name is Kyelah Vincent and I am a sophomore at Abramson Sci Academy. My school is very different and very involved with the community. I feel that Sci is different because we focus on being a team. If we can work as a team we can trust each other.

One of the main topics we focus on here at Sci is the fact that we are a family and we should all get along. The restorative process is here to assure us that we can have altercations but don’t let the altercations get in the way of your dreams.

“The main concept we want our students to walk away with is that we all make mistakes,” said Cornelius Dukes, Dean of Students. “Own your mistakes and be open to moving forward and listen to the perspective of others while fixing the conflict.”

Restorative practices are tools we use to get over the block in the road. We all make mistakes but we should use the tools that are given to us to correct those mistakes and build from them. The restorative practice follows you through life, not only does it help you through your high school career it also forms you into a mature young adult that is ready to take on any challenge. The tools we use come in handy when in a real life-situation, we can’t walk away from life so when we feel overwhelmed I believe the best thing to do is to voice your opinion.

My past experience with discipline didn’t work out so well, I let my emotions get the best of me and control my actions. Coming into high school I was insecure about how I felt about myself. I was more focused on fitting in and trying not to be under the spotlight, I didn’t realize the impact I was having on other people.

People were looking up to me and I wasn’t being a role model. I was more focused on trying to fit in with the crowd and not focused on my big goals in life. I had group and self- mediations, until I realized that I was the problem. I wasn’t giving myself enough credit for the amazing leader I am. The mediation process helped me a lot, they helped me realize that not everyone is who they say they are.

My insecurities made me feel like I was less of a leader, but then I realized other people had insecurities too that’s why it was harder for us to get along. The conflict was mainly over jealousy, or something minor that escalated into a bigger issue for no reason.

When we both sat down to talk about the issue, it was always a way to avoid physically getting our anger out. We use our words to help us relieve some stress and to hopefully get rid of some of the anger, like I said before we need to listen to other people’s perspective. You will never know what someone is going through unless you sit down and talk to them.

With the skills I have, I help the people around me. When I see someone doubting themselves or making themselves feel bad, I help them focus on the bigger picture and ensure them that they are better than what they think. I have helped Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors and even Seniors.

“I’ve seen Kyelah grow a lot this year,” said Sasha Myers, English II teacher. “Most kids don’t have these skills. I’ve seen her have an altercation, and she created a mediation space outside of class to resolve it. I’ve never seen her academics being affected. The leadership qualities she has are rare in a student her age. She takes a burden off of me with her leadership skills by helping other teammates when she sees them struggling, so I can help other students.”

 

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