July 28, 1999

One solution to preventing violence among children may be surprising.

In today's Family Now report, Ruth Todd explains how a local program uses teenagers as role models for younger kids.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says peer mentoring programs may reduce youth violence.

A study by researchers in Chicago found that schoolchildren who have older mentors avoid violent behavior.

But teens in a local peer mentoring program say they get much more out of befriending the younger kids.

Thirteen-year-old Mallary Metz has been coming to the Sugarhouse Boys and Girls club since she was in second grade.

But this summer, she has a new role. Mallary is part of the club's Leaders in Training program.

Leaders in Training is partially designed to allow Mallary and other teens to act as assistants to the older counselors. But they end up having a different relationship with the kids.

Mallary Metz/Leader in Training: "THEY LOOK UP TO ME AS A FRIEND, AND NOT LIKE AS A COUNSELOR, THEY LOOK UP TO ME, LIKE, AND WANT ME TO PLAY WITH THEM."

Mallary Metz: "WHAT ANIMAL SHOULD WE BE? I WANT TO BE A DUCK. YOU WANT TO BE A DUCK?"

Laurel Wilkinson/Leaders in Training Supervisor: "THEY LOOK UP TO THEM, AGAIN, AS POSITIVE ROLE MODELS. AND SOMETIMES MAYBE THEY WON'T LISTEN TO THE COUNSELORS, BUT THEY'LL LISTEN TO THE OLDER KIDS."

The benefit to the younger children is obvious, but the older kids - like 15-year-old Casey Reynolds - say they learn a lot - including how be better examples.

Casey Reynolds: "SOME KIDS, LIKE, CALL EACH OTHER NAMES AND GET IN FIGHTS AND WE HAVE TO SOLVE THEM AND MEDIATE THEM."

Casey Reynolds/Leader in Training: "I'VE LEARNED THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND CARING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE."

It's not just the younger children who find new role models, the teens are also being mentored by their older counselors. And Mallary wants to be a counselor when she is old enough.

Mallary Metz: "I LIKE THE WAY THAT SHE HAS THINGS PLANNED AND THE ACTIVITES THAT SHE DOES WITH THE LITTLE KIDS."

For more information about peer mentoring and the Boys and Girls Club Leaders in Training program, call the Family Now information line at 1-800-575-5751.