By Melanie Deeds
Legal News
Elizabeth Ferguson appears to possess the exact qualities needed to keep the peace in a mediation session.
“Liz is a very skilled mediator who brings the necessary calming presence to the often chaotic mediation room,” said Craig Pappas, executive director of The Resolution Center in Mt. Clemens. ”We are fortunate to have her as part of our mediation family.”
The attorney is being honored by the center next week with its Lawrence W. Beckett Volunteer of the Year Award.
The award will be presented on Tuesday, March 22 during the center’s 23rd annual Evening at the Movies fundraiser in Sterling Heights. The event, at the MJR Marketplace Sterling Heights Cinema 20, is the major fundraiser to support the nonprofit center’s youth programs.
Pappas said Ferguson, a former employee of Macomb Community College, joined The Resolution Center as volunteer mediator “a few years back and has quickly become one of our best assets.”
The Mt. Clemens attorney “has mediated nearly 100 cases for us over the last 18 months which has helped us out tremendously,” Pappas said. “Liz is willing to do whatever we need her to do, whether that’s showing up early for our 8 a.m. district court programs or traveling to Port Huron to handle a
civil matter or filling in last minute when another mediator fell ill or had an emergency.”
Another honor — the center’s 2016 Conflict Resolution Advocacy Award — will be presented that evening to East Detroit Public Schools.
Superintendent Ryan McLeod and high school Principal Greg Roberts will be on hand to accept the award.
Pappas said the school officials “have embraced Restorative Practices as an approach to student conflict and alternative discipline for students in Kelly Middle School, East Detroit High School and Kellwood Alternative High School.”
“As a community partner with the district, we assist the building administrators in addressing student conflict through either an adult facilitated mediation or student led peer mediation session,” Pappas said.
He said such conflicts can involve nonverbal and physical altercations, harassment, teasing and bullying, relationship issues and social media disputes.
During 2015, Pappas said, the center and its 100-plus volunteer mediators managed about 1,500 cases.
Just under 1,200 mediations were conducted, he said, 70 percent of which reached a settlement or resolution.
Regarding the schools programs, more than 1,200 students participated in a mediation or restorative justice session while 640 students participated in a one-on-one reflection process for a classroom discipline issue.
Along with East Detroit school district, the center has programs operating at Clintondale High and New Haven High.
“Our programs aim to reduce conflict, aggression and disputes between students while avoiding suspension as means of responding to these issues,” Pappas said. “Last year we provided service to nearly 2,000 students.
The Resolution Center has been providing mediation as an out-of-court alternative to resolving disputes since 1993.
Evening at the Movies gets under way at 5:30 p.m. with the awards presentation set for 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $50 per person or five for $200.
The event features appetizers from area restaurants and caterers along with wine and beer along with admission to a movie, popcorn and a soft drink.
For more information, visit www.theresolutioncenter.com or call 586.469.4714.
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