Holman (June 16/03) - Some students at Helen Kalvak school are peacekeepers of their own design.

Eight Grade 6 to 9 students recently took a pledge to better their school and community through positive peer pressure.

They call themselves the Peacemakers and have dedicated themselves to creating a climate of pride, refusing and reporting bullying and setting an example of how to be a caring person.

It's the first school-based program of it's kind in the territory.

"I think it is the start of something in Northern communities," said Jane Cooper, life skills counsellor with the Alberta Institute of Life Skills.

"We are always concerned about raising awareness of positive behaviour and raising caring and responsible students who are willing to step forward and help out," said Freida Maaskant, program support teacher at Helen Kalvak school.

"We are concerned about bullying because we know it is a reality."

In January, the school hosted a workshop about bullying through the Alberta Institute. The workshop provided students with information about identifying and preventing bullying.

But the school wanted to take a more permanent approach to anti-bullying.

"We wanted to address it more than in a class discussion," said Maaskant.

So Cooper came up from Calgary in May to host a peer mediation workshop for the older students.

"(The program) taught them what respect looks like," said Maaskant.

"If we all respect ourselves and each other there would be no bullying."

Cooper said the Peacemaker program should prolong the impact she had.

She said a five-day workshop isn't long enough to change bullying attitudes.

Now with the help of two community mentors, Melanie Kudlak and Mary Okheena, the students will continue to meet throughout the summer to maintain their enthusiasm for next year, said Maaskant.

"I hope to go back and follow-up.

"I hope to see youth coming together in a positive way and creating a community of inclusive, responsible behaviour," said Cooper.

In a community of 400 people, Cooper sees "a lot of hope" in having a successful program.

"The basic interpersonal skills have not been citified out of people.

"There is still a community energy there," she said of Holman.