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Published on 11/25/1996 All articles from this issue

Respect the theme of summit at Saint Francis

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By Nick Kocharhook

Special to the Town Crier

Saint Francis High School students gathered on Oct. 24 and 25 to be a part of the 1996 Respect Symposium, also known as the Lancer Summit. The two-day summit was a student-run activity that highlighted issues of respect on campus and in the broader community.

The first day started with a gathering in Raskob Memorial Gym. Bishop Pat Ziemann of Santa Rosa spoke about the importance of using respectful words to support our friends.

"The bishop was funny; he was energized and he involved the audience," said sophomore Megan Donahue.

After the bishop's entertaining talk, several students from the drama program performed vignettes about disrespect and stereotypes. Among the topics touched upon were racism, homosexuality and rape. The skits didn't just alert the audience to the presence of these problems. They also made it painfully obvious the way the recipient of the prejudice feels.

"The skits were good," said freshman Erin Duffy. "They were very dramatic and powerful."

Throughout the day, students met in small groups. The activities included watching video clips on disrespect from "Dateline NBC," "Angus" and "The Breakfast Club." The topics included stereotypes, sexual harassment and cliques. While in the small groups, students had visitors from Saint Joseph's of Mountain View, who read from Shel Silverstein's "The Missing Piece Meets the Big O." At the end of the day, students were given stickers that read, "Who You Are Makes A Difference," with instructions to pass them on.

The second day consisted of a speech from Dorian Moten Brown, a trainer in conflict resolution. She discussed the 12 steps to resolution and being a nonviolent person. As an example of how difficult it is to be nonviolent, she gave the audience a challenge. She asked them what they would do if someone spit on them. The immediate reaction of most people was something to the effect of "Hit 'em!" Brown challenged the students to walk away.

"I thought she had a lot of good things to say," said freshman Andrew Somera. "We should respect people and look for whom they are inside."

Brown's speech was followed by a special liturgy. The symposium exposed the students of Saint Francis to the reality of disrespect.