Local man specializes in conflict resolution His latest workshop
on bullying profiled on ‘20/20’
By Alison Granito
Staff Writer
George Anthony of Middletown poses for a photo with John Stossel during preparations for Stossel’s recent TV special on bullying and school violence.
George Anthony has made it his life’s work to foster communication and end conflicts wherever it is he finds them.
Anthony, a Danemar Drive resident, is employed as a conflict-resolution specialist serving schools in Brooklyn and Staten Island, N.Y. The programs he has designed for his students there have been profiled in many places, including ABC news. Anthony has also been featured on CNN for his work with the Seeds of Peace program, which brings Israeli and Palestinian teens together to talk about the situations they face at home.
His latest workshop for his students at Susan Wagner High School on Staten Island is titled "Bullying: The Student, the School, the Community, and the Holocaust." His work was profiled on an hourlong 20/20 special last week called "The In Crowd and Social Cruelty."
With the problem of school violence commanding national attention after incidents such as the school shootings in Littleton, Colo., Anthony said people have started to realize the impact bullying has on children.
Sometimes being on the board of a co-op or condo is like being a politician. Fellow residents look to you to solve problems. They can vote for you, or they can choose not to vote for you if you do something they dislike. You feel like you're always in the spotlight and sometimes you feel that even your best may not be enough.
In short, it's a job with a lot of pressure—and that's why, when you put six, nine or a dozen board members in a room together, tensions may rise and conflicts may erupt. It's just the nature of the beast; different personalities, different experiences with even a little dose of stress can turn the most friendly colleagues into squabbling combatants. A warring board is a troubled board —so here are a few ideas that may help your board get through the tough times and avoid major conflicts among members.
Sometimes being on the board of a co-op or condo is like being a politician. Fellow residents look to you to solve problems. They can vote for you, or they can choose not to vote for you if you do something they dislike. You feel like you're always in the spotlight and sometimes you feel that even your best may not be enough.
In short, it's a job with a lot of pressure—and that's why, when you put six, nine or a dozen board members in a room together, tensions may rise and conflicts may erupt. It's just the nature of the beast; different personalities, different experiences with even a little dose of stress can turn the most friendly colleagues into squabbling combatants. A warring board is a troubled board —so here are a few ideas that may help your board get through the tough times and avoid major conflicts among members.
The state Supreme Court ruling in a case involving the Toms River Regional School District provides an opportunity to seek sustainable solutions for our children at risk of bullying on a daily basis. ("Schools must stop student harassment," Feb. 22.) Bias crimes continue to rise in Monmouth and Ocean counties, yet school officials introduce statistics that point to a tolerant school district.
Recent assaults have inflicted immeasurable pain on families, schools and communities. These incidents offer an opportunity to get to the core of the issues at stake here. They also present an opportunity for positive action and change.
Where do you begin? The answer, or a good part of it, can be found in the students. Through their actions, they become the agents for change. Their actions are a result of their training. You cannot expect a student population to embrace the responsibility in recognizing the effect of discrimination, racism, tolerance and leadership unless they are exposed to lessons they can identify, internalize and effectively teach to their peers.
Middletown's George Anthony met with renowned primatologist Jane Goodall and other dignitaries as part of the United Nation's International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.
MIDDLETOWN - Township resident George Anthony traveled to New York City along with actor Michael Douglas, Elie Weisel, Jane Goodall and Princess Haya of Jordan.
Anthony was there to attend the International Day of Peace that is held by the United Nations every year on Sept. 21. Though not speaking at this year's event, Anthony listened to prestigious keynote speakers such as Goodall and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon talk about different forms of peace.
Students from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Lebanon also spoke at the conference to share stories of life in their countries. Douglas talked about the importance of dismantling the world's surplus of nuclear weapons, while Weisel spoke about the importance of understanding universal suffering.
Anthony was a guest speaker at the conference in 2004 regarding the use of sports in brokering peace between countries. He agreed with the sentiments of all of this year's speakers, mentioning Dr. Weisel as one of the most memorable.
Mr. George S. Anthony is an award winning Educator and Conflict Resolution Specialist. Mr. Anthony has been featured nationally on ABCNews’s “20/20: John Stossel Special Reports: Social Cruelty in Our Nation’s Schools” and on CNN’s “Crossing Borders”. He is frequently featured in many newspaper articles on bullying, conflict resolution, and ethnic diversity, as well TV informational and news programs such as WABC TV’s “Bullying in the Classroom”
Mr. Anthony has worked with the world-renowned Seeds of Peace Organization, the Anne Frank Center of both the Netherlands and the United States of America. He has also worked with the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference Institute”, the New York City Department of Education, The United Nations “Seasons of Non Violence Task Force”, The United States Institute for Peace and numerous school districts. His programs have been recognized and implemented in both national and international forums and his “Peer-to-Peer: Mediation and Conflict Resolution Institute” was recognized at the United Nation’s as a model program for the world.
George Anthony is a trained Conflict Resolution Specialist, certified in Mediation by Columbia University, the National Institute for Dispute Resolution, and the New York City Board of Education. Mr. Anthony is an educator with over twenty years of classroom teaching experience and he the Director of the Institute for International Leadership, Non-Violence, and Service. He has an M.S. in Education training teachers, administrators, social workers, guidance personnel, and others in conflict management. He works with Colleges and Universities, including Rutgers University School of Social Work and Brookdale College. Mr. Anthony has produced award-winning videos dealing in issues of tolerance, leadership, and diversity. As a Director of Peace Dynamics Consultants George Anthony continues to work with numerous school districts, community and corporate organizations in a variety of ways, and has co-authored publications and workshops on topics dealing in Conflict Resolution, Leadership and Diversity. He is the co-author of Stand Up & Lead: Curriculum Guide featuring strategies for addressing bullying and diversity, and creating supportive learning environments for all. He is currently active as an Educator, Executive Director, and Workshop Facilitator.
MR. LINDY P. CRESCITELLI
Executive Consultant, Seminar Leader
Mr. Lindy P. Crescitelli is a renowned facilitator and educator in non-violent leadership, community building, conflict resolution and communication skills. Mr. Crescitelli has numerous times been in the national and international media, including being featured on ABC, and in a national syndicated special on athletes and violence prevention. He has been lauded as a national expert in YM magazine, and in a cover story on campus relationships and violence prevention in The Village Voice newspaper. Lindy Crescitelli has also been in Newsweek magazine, on CNN, in the N.Y. Times and N.Y. Daily News, as well as many other print publications and TV programs.
Mr. Crescitelli was a member of the United Nation’s “Season of Non-Violence” organizing committee and has done presentations several times at the United Nations’ World Headquarters. He has implemented anti-bias programming with the Anti-Defamation League’s “A World of Difference Institute” and has served as an educator with the American Civil Rights Educational Services, including conducting workshops and courses along their educational excursions throughout the southern states of the U.S.A., within universities, and at their headquarters.
Lindy Crescitelli is a trained Conflict Resolution Specialist, certified in both Negotiation and Mediation. Mr. Crescitelli distinguished himself throughout almost ten years of classroom teaching experience within the New York City Department of Education as a Social Studies Teacher and Conflict Resolution Specialist. He is the co-founder of the Institute for International Leadership, Non-Violence, and Service and served as an adjunct faculty member of the City University of New York’s C.S.I. Discovery Institute developing lessons and projects that they have published.
He is the co-author of Stand Up & Lead: Curriculum Guide featuring strategies for addressing bullying and diversity, and creating supportive learning environments for all. Mr. Crescitelli has developed, produced, and presented numerous informational and educational videos for various conferences, workshops, and trainings. He serves on the Children’s Aid Society Goodhue Center Advisory Board and is a former president of Students Concerned About Rape Education. Lindy Crescitelli continues to work with numerous school districts, community and corporate organizations in a variety of ways. He works for Peace Dynamics Consultants as an Executive Consultant and Facilitator.
In today’s learning environment, school districts, administrations and parent groups prefer to expose their students to “Assembly” programs” that promote the message of tolerance. Often these shows are poignant, amusing and informative. Unfortunately they do not leave a lasting impression. The show moves on but the students remain (often times the same). In essence nothing has changed, unless the administration or parent groups recognize the need for this message to be reinforced on a daily basis by the students to the students. If the intent is to create a culture of cooperation, leadership, civic responsibility and anti bully initiatives, a foundation of skill based peer mediation and anti violence curriculum need to be put in place. Once in place, students must have access to this curriculum so their skills can be utilized on a daily basis. This format will allow students to “connect” their skills to the student population. Concepts of respect, non-violence and the possibilities of a better day in effect become the norm.
This foundation is generally referred as the “Peer Mediation Center”.
A place where infinite possibilities can emerge. From this room mediations take place between students {face to face} with a faculty member close by for support and instruction. Here students are encouraged to discuss their issues and concerns with each other. It is a place where their voices are heard and their words have meaning. Through their words they will find solutions. It will be through their solutions they will discover self-respect. Through the center students will discover everyone is treated as an equal and are all connected to the basic issues of respect and non- violence.
Peer mediators/educators will also visit classrooms to share their skill training and engage their peers in dialogue regarding issues of peace and non-violence. This can be achieved through film, role-playing and discussion. This function also reinforces the peer mediator as a role model for others to emulate. In essence they set the tone for others to follow. This program can be extended to other schools where students can compare methodology, share ideas and network.
Community reinforcement is achieved by recognizing peer mediators/negotiators as they assume a leadership role in their school and in their community. Skills learned at school are transferred into the home and neighborhood.
This is how you promote peace. You offer the students something tangible. A program they can call their own. It is a program that “belongs” to the students. It is a program that reaches the student population from the bottom up. It takes place in the hub of the classroom motivated by the good works of the peer educators. The Peer Coordinator plays a pivotal role in supervising this program by giving the students the “tools” to empower and change a culture from conflict to cooperation.
Why are so many school administrators reluctant to establish peer mediation/education programs? Time, money, physical space and union constraints are offered as obstacles in implementing a program. Change requires risk . If programs are not in place that promote anti-bullying and leadership on a daily basis, what are we leaving to the students? Without conflict resolution programs in place what are the students teaching each other? Is a culture of cruelty becoming the norm over a culture of cooperation and respect? Studies are coming out that point to a more general atmosphere of meanness, where teasing and taunting are the norm amongst students, rather than the exception In a recent survey of nearly 70,000 students’ grades 6-12, only 37% said they show respect for one another, fewer than half considered themselves positive role models.
Peace Dynamics Consultants George Anthony and Lindy Crescitelli show Fairview Elementary School fifth-graders how bullies act in front of weaker kids during the "Stand Up and Lead" anti-bullying workshop last Wednesday.
MIDDLETOWN - For so many young people, being bullied and taunted has almost become commonplace in school, as the way a person dresses or speaks can become fodder for others who want to feel superior.
On Oct. 25, students at Fairview Elementary School got a lesson in how to do just the opposite - how to be a leader and how to potentially resolve a conflict. "Stand Up and Lead: Teaching Our Students to Be Peacemakers" was brought to the school by George Anthony and Lindy Crescitelli of Peace Dynamics Consultants. The duo has presented their program in districts throughout the state. Crescitelli said that no matter where they go, whether it's an urban or bucolic environment, kids are really the same.
"Our main purpose every place we go is to give kids the necessary skills that they can utilize in an everyday situation," Crescitelli said. "Every kid can be a bully or a victim. The key to our whole program is reinforcement and letting them know what to do, and how to do the right things."
politician. Fellow residents look to you to solve problems. They can vote for you, or they can choose not to vote for you if you do something they dislike. You feel like you're always in the spotlight and sometimes you feel that even your best may not be enough. 
