Rogers High School in Toledo and The University of Toledo College of Law have collaborated to address some of the challenges that students are facing in the post-COVID era.
Specifically, they are working to address decreased attendance and the need for peaceful conflict resolution. As a Hub school, Rogers is committed to being responsive to its students’ needs. To tackle these issues, the Rogers team approached Maara Fink, a clinical professor of law and director of externship programs at the College of Law, to discuss a pilot mediation program.
From left: Professor Maara Fink, Assistant Principal Elberta Smith, UToledo Law students Elora Scarmardo, Andre White, and Amy Scruggs, and Hub Director Josh Davies.
After several in-person meetings and virtual discussions, the mediation program launched at the end of spring 2022 semester.
Hub Director Josh Davies said that the mediation program has become a valuable resource for the school.
“An idea is only valuable if someone has the time and expertise to put it into action,” Davies said. “Our partners at UToledo Law — both Professor Fink and the student mediators — have brought this idea to life and expanded our school’s capacity to meet our students’ needs.”
UToledo law students now serve as mediators on-site at Rogers High School. Students on the mediation team include Elora Scamardo, Andre White, Maha Zeidan and Amy Scruggs, who work under the training and guidance of Fink.
Law students can volunteer to be members of the mediation team or earn credit for an externship. The College of Law offers a wide variety of experiential learning courses including Civil Advocacy Clinic, Immigrant Justice Clinic, Tax Controversy Clinic, Corporate Counsel Externship and Public Service Externship, in addition to the Mediation Externship.
“It made a real difference for the students,” Zeidan said of the mediation team. “We provided a resource they wouldn’t have had otherwise. In the long run, programs like these can help students avoid citations, criminal charges and even incarceration. It was so fulfilling to have this kind of impact.”
Initially focused on truancy mediation, the mediation team expanded its work to include conflict mediation. Recent changes in the law have complicated how student truancy is measured and dealt with. The UToledo College of Law mediation team provided various benefits, including empowering students to find solutions to problems and avoiding potential legal issues.
The partnership’s success has led to further collaboration between them. The mediation team has plans to help train a team of Rogers students as peer mediators. Rogers and the College of Law are committed to continuing and expanding their partnership in the future.
The College of Law offers a wide variety of experiential learning courses including Civil Advocacy Clinic, Immigrant Justice Clinic, Tax Controversy Clinic, Corporate Counsel Externship and Public Service Externship, in addition to the Mediation Externship.
To learn more about the Mediation Externship at Toledo Law, contact Maara Fink, clinical professor of law and director of externship programs at the College of Law, at 419.530.4236 or maara.fink@utoledo.edu.
