Workshop tackles civility issues

The Civility Improvement Workshop on Oct .14 tackled many issues of among youth, including the causes and consequences of behaviors that lead to bullying. The event was organized by the 10 students of CSC’s Communities and Organizations class taught by Bruce Hoem.

Among the attendees were community members, college students and educators from Chadron, Alliance and Pine Ridge, S.D.

“We feel the workshop was very successful, that we had great community involvement and that we did, in our small way, draw more attention to the need for civility in our lives,” Hoem said.

Dr. Caroline Winchester, superintendent of Chadron Public Schools, served as the event’s moderator, while seven others with expertise in civility issues facilitated discussion. They are Cheryl Lynn Bills, Stan Bills, Linda Brown, Leslie Caswell, Susan Martinez, Nichole Pourier and Rae Ann Schmitz.

Each of the day’s two sessions was capped by a laughter seminar led by David and Trisha Ferlic of Wheat Ridge, Colo.

The workshop is the latest in an annual effort by CSC’s senior level social work students. Each year, the class participants are charged with developing a project that involves the college and other community members in a shared learning experience.

Members of this fall’s Communities and Organizations class are Jessica Beals of Alliance, Carrie Cheney of Rapid City, S.D., Sarah Jones of Wyoming, Iowa, Brittni Keller of Mitchell, Neb., Sarah Maulsby of Minden, Heather Moore of Chadron, Shawn Schultz of Clarkson, Danielle Tejral of Yankton, S.D., Micaela VanSkiver of Nelson and Elizabeth Weishaar of Alliance.