Building Peace: Impact of the Peace Warriors Program at Legal Prep Charter Academy
Jessica Rule and Javon Phillips, both 18, started their journeys into higher education with unique goals. Rule joined Illinois State University, focusing on musical theater, while Phillips pursued computer science at Northern Illinois University. They transitioned from their high school, West Garfield’s Legal Prep Charter Academy, where their roles as ‘Peace Warriors’ shaped their experiences. Sporting red shirts with ‘Peace Warrior’ text, they stood ready for new beginnings.
The Peace Warriors Program
Rule and Phillips were among the 46 Peace Warriors at Legal Prep during their senior year. This student-led program, overseen by Pastor Gerald Smith, focuses on restorative justice. It teaches students to defuse conflicts proactively. Rule joined to foster change within her school community, while Phillips sought personal growth.
Before the program, Legal Prep had frequent fights, with reports of up to three per week. Principal Marquan Morrison, a Legal Prep graduate, credits Smith with transforming the school’s culture. Smith, with over 30 years of ministry, turned his attention toward preventing youth violence after witnessing too many untimely deaths.
Members of the Peace Warriors, a student-led nonviolence and conflict resolution program, march on June 4, 2026, to celebrate 100 days of peace at the school.
Smith first initiated a Peace Warrior program at North Lawndale College Prep High School in 2008. At Legal Prep, students applied, interviewed, and trained in mediation. Following Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s principles, the Peace Warriors cultivated a peaceful school climate, offering their help during tense situations on and off campus.
A Day in the Life of a Peace Warrior
The daily routine for a Peace Warrior begins early. They greet peers at school entrances, play music, and monitor social interactions. Social media surveillance helps them detect brewing conflicts. They offer support to students facing personal challenges with kindness and small gifts.
During lunch, Peace Warriors provide mentorship. If a fight breaks out, they intervene, recognizing those who help maintain peace. The program focuses on addressing underlying tensions.
For conflicts, Peace Warriors organize peace circles to mediate issues calmly. Students involved in altercations work with trained staff to reflect on their actions, writing accountability letters shared with their peers.
Program Impact and Community Involvement
According to Samuel Finkelstein, Legal Prep’s founder, the Peace Warriors program created a transformation, achieving days of uninterrupted peace. Support from the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago and nearby New Mount Pilgrim MB Church helps maintain a safe environment at school dismissal.
Principal Morrison expressed the wish that Peace Warriors existed in his student days. He plans to expand the program, training more students and staff in partnership with local organizations.
Jessica Rule, having grown into her role, emphasized her dedication to stepping in during conflicts, promoting an ‘upstander’ mentality. “Once a Peace Warrior, always a Peace Warrior,” she stated, underscoring the community focus.
Finkelstein aims to extend the program by pairing with elementary schools, cultivating leadership and integrity in younger students. This initiative could reduce issues linked with ‘teen trends’—an emerging consequence of limited youth programs, employment, and community spaces post-pandemic.
Almethia Franklin, a researcher, noted that young people seeking connection amidst reduced community resources turn to new spaces. Through connection, they navigate shared experiences.