JMF News Spring 2001

The Joseph Matteucci Foundation (JMF) has been the catalyst in the creation, implementation and funding of mediation/conflict resolution programs for schools in the Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, and Fremont School Districts. JMF has been able to accomplish the goal of providing funding, based on the success of marketing the program to potential funders. Alexandra Matteucci, the director of the foundation and the president of the board of directors, has personally contributed her time speaking directly to the students in all of the programs. She shares the personal loss of her son to violence by sharing the details of the last day of his life. Students are able to come to the understanding of the implications of trash-talking, name calling and racial epitaphs in the escalation of violence. It becomes clear to the student through the sharing of the story and opens discussion the importance of resolving conflicts before a devastating outcome occurs. It has been our experience that the youth are moved to create and provide a safe and confidential environment to mediate solutions to potentially violent situations with their peers on campus.

The school based mediation/conflict resolution program has been in existence since 1994 when JMF funded four schools in Hayward and Castro Valley School Districts. During the 1999-2000 school year 35-40 schools were in participation. Nine hundred student mediators were trained in the Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo and Fremont School Districts. JMF has continued to fund the mediation/conflict resolution program.

The annual Charity Golf Tournament, at Castlewood Country Club was a success again this year and JMF was able to secure the sponsorship of five corporate sponsors. The tournament was also a success due to doubling the profit from the previous years revenue. This money will help to fund the position of Director of Sports Programs, and allow JMF to participate with an even larger impact in the East Bay Area.

April Pavlik, M.A. was hired as the Director of Sports Programs for the foundation. Along with the duties of program development she is also responsible for an outreach to all the baseball leagues in Northern California. Also responsible for facilitation of all programs for schools and sport leagues. Included is also the responsibility of training interns.

The marketing was accomplished by creating a brochure to be mailed to leagues in the Northern California. We have completed a mailing to the Little Leagues in California (approx. 125) and are hoping for a response that is appropriate for the first year. A second mailing will be completed in January to 1200 other organizations focusing on youth activities in California. Our goal is to create more visibility for JMF.

An ongoing goal of JMF is to get Joe's story out in an effort to educate as many people as possible about the importance of teaching our young people to deal with frustration and anger. We also hope to promote the importance of learning the skills that are the foundation of mediation and conflict resolution. In accordance with this goal Alexandra continues to speak to groups about the circumstances leading to the loss of her son. She has spoken to close to 2000 students, parents, teachers, juvenile halls, probation departments, county jails, police departments and sports leagues this year alone.

JMF is sponsoring a baseball clinic in Castro Valley open to athletes and their parents in the Castro Valley, Hayward area. Outreach would be to contact all the leagues in the area about the event. This would be a co-sponsorship with Rotary in Castro Valley and would be limited to 100 kids. This would be an excellent forum for our programs and we would be delivering our message to all participants. This would be coordinated with EJ Sports, and April Pavlik would be facilitating the programs, and Alexandra Matteucci will be speaking. E.J. Sports is a coaching program in baseball skills by Eric Johnson former baseball player with the S.F. Giants.

In the coming year JMF will continue to strive toward the goal of education, intervention and prevention of youth violence in classrooms, on sporting fields and in homes.

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