Jill McDonald, M.Ed., has worked as a public educator for the past 15 years.  She has been a middle and high
school teacher, an At-Risk Program Coordinator, and a high school Associate Principal.  Her professional career has
focused on the development of preventative programs, which serve to eliminate bullying and harassment, increase an
appreciation for diversity, and empower students.  She has been a leader in district and community-wide diversity
programs, where she has gained recognition and awards.  Ms. McDonald was recently sponsored and certified as a
national trainer for the Bully-Proofing Your School, Creating Caring Communities organization.  She has worked as a
consultant, providing workshops and trainings for teachers, schools, and the Oakland Intermediate School District in
Oakland County.  Currently, Ms. McDonald is an administrator in the Huron Valley School district and continues to
research principles of effective teaching and violence prevention.
Jae Jin Pak is a prevention specialist with Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4)
Quetzal Center. He conducts trainings and develops curriculum addressing sexual violence
issues. He has been active in domestic and sexual violence work for over 17 yrs as an advocate,
crisis counselor, educator and ally. Jae Jin has presented for high school & college students,
teachers, police officers, medical staff, & social service providers. He Co-Chairs the Latino
Coalition for Prevention Sexual Violence Prevention Committee & is active in several local
committees in Chicago that work to raise awareness of domestic violence in different communities.
Jae Jin is on the Board of Directors of Korean American Community Services, The Leadership
Center for Asian Pacific Americans and the Healthy Albany Park Coalition Steering Committee He
holds a Bachelors of Science in Human Family Resources Family & Individual Development from
Northern Illinois University.
Lori Fithian has been drumming for as
long as she can remember, and considers
herself a "folk percussionist" - a student of
rhythmic traditions from around the world.
She offers her exciting "Drummunity"
programs all over the Great Lakes area,
bringing people of all ages and
backgrounds together in rhythm and
community.  With  the drums as her tools,
she weaves together a message of unity,  
peace, diversity, wellness, ecology, and
the power of music to touch people's lives
in a positive and uplifting way.

SAVE AFRICA   

SAFE SCHOOLS - How Can You Help Stop Bullying

MEDIA, CULTURE, VIOLENCE & OPPRESSION: How They are Connected
This workshop will be primarily a presentation of facts on gun violence in America taken
from the Center for Disease Control and American Pediatrics Society. It is hoped that from
this presentation there will be a discussion about ways we can put pressure on legislators to
use the technology that exists to protect children from accidental gun death or injury, as well
as a way to help keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
In this workshop, Joelle tells part of her story
in how she founded The Save Africa Project
and explains how taking the risk of failure
ultimately led her to one of the most
rewarding experiences of her life. Throughout
this workshop, interaction is going to be
mandated through group discussion, Q & A.
Attendees will be taught how they can start
chasing after their biggest leadership dreams.
Joelle Gnotek is a senior at Milford High
School. She also attends classes at Oakland
University and is a performance intern at
Meadow Brook Theatre. She recently started
a student organization called The Save
Africa Project. Seventy percent of its
collections go to provide necessities to
impoverished villages in sub-Saharan Africa,
fifteen percent helps to provide trips for
people traveling to third world nations to
provide aid and the remaining fifteen percent
is used by the organization for their
fundraisers and awareness-raising events.
This workshop will examine the messages in mainstream media and how, if any connection these messages have to
oppression and violence against women. Participants will gain: An introduction to oppression and the systems that
move to support it; An understanding of the messages media tells about gender, race, culture and the connection to
violence against women. Participants will be encouraged to engage in critical thinking of the messages found in
mainstream media.
A "Drummunity" circle is a hands-on way to
experience what Dr. King spoke about: a place
where people of all colors, shapes, sizes, ages,
walks and ways, can join together in harmony. All
who attend will learn what it takes to have fun
making music while they brush up on their
community-building skills: listening, cooperating,
focusing, appreciating differences and creating
connections. This is what a healthy community
sounds like!  All ages welcome, no experience
necessary, drums provided.

Join Hands 'round a circle of drums... Drummunity!'
Paula Drewek Ph.D., is a retired professor of Humanities at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan. She
serves as Coordinator of Macomb’s Multicultural and International Initiatives Program. She taught courses in arts and
ideas and comparative religion for 39 years. At Macomb she served as Chair of the Academic Standards committee.
She recently published the text and workbook for a 12 religion poster series published by Teachers Discovery, and
participates in a weekly Interfaith Odyssey TV series taped locally and aired on PBS in Detroit. The show is in its 5th
year and is picked up across the U.S. and Canada. Her community contributions include: Founding Member of the
Institute for the Healing of Racism in SE Michigan; Detroit Interfaith Roundtable and the Macomb College Speakers
Bureau.
Why inevitable?  To understand this we need to briefly review some basic Baha’i principles &
the role of religion in establishing peace.  Next we examine more specific foundations for a
true & lasting peace: a universal framework & a union of nations based upon shared values; a
system of universal laws & a world executive empowered with upholding & enforcing these
laws; disarmament; a universal system of human rights.  These foundational principles all
require both spiritual & material elements. What can we do to prepare for peace & what are
Baha’i communities doing?  Discussion of these and project-planning follow the presentation.

Peace:  The Inevitable Outcome of Our Time
Milford High Schools Diversity Club is in its third year as an organization. We work to model and promote unity,
acceptance, and inclusion within our school community. Some of our activities to date include the Day of Silence, Mix it
Up Day, Movie Night, a teacher presentation, student survey, Safe Schools Week, and MLK Jr. Day last year. We are
also actively involved with the youth diversity program LINC, through it we have been given the opportunity to grow as
individuals in our knowledge and understanding of diversity related issues, and have been trained as facilitators.
Our workshop will show the importance of the connections we all
share as human beings, each piece of a bridge is individual yet
they rely on each other to stand. We will do interactive activities,
followed by discussion, that show the commonalities shared
among us and to remind us that by remembering no one is alone
we can make a difference on a daily basis in others lives. Learning
to effectively communicate and care about others on an individual
basis  is the first step to bettering your world. There will also be a
short film followed by discussion concerning how diversity relates
to you.

Building Bridges Piece by Peace   
Richard Koch teaches African
American Studies and Civil Rights
Movement courses at Adrian College,
in addition to his core appointment in
the area of writing and the teaching of
writing.  He is co-author of The
Portfolio Guidebook, a text designed
to assist K-12 teachers with
assessment in writing.  His
team-taught course this spring is on
the Harlem Renaissance.  In February
of 2007, he will be presenting at the
National Conference on African
American Studies on "The Rereading
of Booker T. Washington and Its
Implications for Understanding the
Civil Rigjhts Movement."  He has
collaborated with the Michigan
Department of Civil Rights and the
Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute.  
He is an Associate Director of the
Oakland Writing Project.

Teaching for Global Citizenship:  
Key Principles for Transforming Schools   

We who in engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension.
We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
WORKSHOP
FOR AGES
10+
WORKSHOP
FOR
YOUTH+
WORKSHOP
FOR ALL
AGES
This session will offer a power
point presentation on making use
of the life and views of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. to enlighten
ourselves about how to direct
American schooling toward the
creating of effective global
citizens.  Dr. King's commitment to
the "beloved community"  is
paralleled in the work of educators
such as Nell Noddings and Peggy
MacIntosh as they discuss how
helping students learn principles
of global citizenship requires
commitments to key teaching
steps inclusive of diverse cultures
but also requires a certain
"sweetness of soul."         
This session should be about
one-half presentation and
one-half group reflection and
discussion on "Where do we go
from here?"  We will reflect and
discuss together about our
experiences with different cultures
as we also reflect on Dr. King's
core commitments and how they
might serve educators and other
people today.
state and federal law-makers on behalf of innocent children and others who die at the rate
of about 30,000 per year from guns. Shikha is an attorney living in the Detroit area and an
activist on many fronts. She is involved in the NAACP and on the national level for the MMM.
Sherri is a retired Huron Valley teacher and co-director of the Oakland Writing Project which
seeks to connect literacy teaching practice to social justice.
Shikha Hamilton and Sherri Masson are the President and Vice
President of Million Mom March of Michigan. Since 2000 when over
a million people marched in Washington D.C. and locations across
the United States to demand common sense firearms legislation in
the wake of Columbine, the Million Mom March has worked as a
grassroots organization educating the public and lobbying


Please see More Workshops
for more amazing offerings & to register!
The fact is that some degree of bullying happens in every school, everywhere, every day.  It is the
extent to which it happens and how it is handled that firmly establishes the climate in a school.  
Creating a safe, accepting environment that promotes respect for all is key in preventing bullying
and harassing behaviors. This workshop will focus on reasons that bullying takes place, the
players involved, and what to do in schools and at home to prevent it from happening.  Research
and effective strategies for ensuring a safe, respectful school climate will be shared.  In addition,
the connections between bullying/harassment and bias and diversity awareness/appreciation will
be discussed.

All Workshops will begin promptly at 2:00 PM, Monday January 21st at Milford High School
following the Main Event. Limited seating. No late comers will be permitted. Register Now To Reserve Your Seat!
Workshops

GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA -  Grassroots Work that Offers Hope for Change