LISBON — A training conference was held in Augusta on Oct. 1 for teacher, community and parent advisors of Civil Rights teams within Maine schools.

Lisbon schools were represented at the training by Lisbon Community School teacher aid advisor Pearl Scribner, Philip W. Sugg teacher advisor Gretchen Stevens, Lisbon High School parent advisor Kathi Yergin, Lisbon Community School teacher advisor Amy Brown and Community Advisor for all three Lisbon Schools, Monica Millhime.

The Civil Rights Team Project is a school-based preventative program to combat hate, violence, prejudice, harassment and bias in schools, said Thomas Harnett, assistant attorney general and facilitator of the training session.

The project builds a collaborative of students, facility and community advisors who work together to create a safe environment for all students and to lower incidence of hate language in the school community. Through regional student and staff in-service trainings, schools work together to reduce the incidence of bias language that too often leads to bias-based threats and violence.

Advisors engaged in idea sharing and best practices and discussed activities for student teams to work on prior to the all day student training sessions. Members of the Civil Rights team from Lisbon High School and Philip W. Sugg Middle School also attended the training in Augusta on Nov. 2. Civil Rights team members from Lisbon Community School attended the student training on Nov. 3.

“We are fortunate to have advisors in Lisbon who recognize the importance of intervention and peer building to reduce intolerance,” said Millhime. “Students and advisors who attend training sessions come away feeling energized and empowered to work toward creating and maintaining a supportive, safe and caring environment at school.”