How about a video game that teaches conflict resolution skills - that is - teaches kids how to not fight? COOL SCHOOL: WHERE PEACE RULES is just that game. Targeted at children from Kindergarten through 2nd grade, the game is set in a fantastic school where all of the objects come to life, depicting conflicts facing children every day. The game uses engaging, colorful characters and a vivid school setting to help children learn how to resolve these conflicts in a peaceful fashion. The player gets to experiment with different solutions to the conflicts, eventually progressing through 52 different scenarios.

The characters were produced to rival those of modern-day computer generated feature films to assure a deep, resonating connection with the characters - so the players will completely empathize with the characters when they're happy and sad - and will want to help set things straight.

Cool School: Where Peace Rules was initially set into motion by Dr. Kathy Hanson of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service's (FMCS) Youth Initiative. This federal agency is fulfilling a congressional mandate to apply their considerable expertise in the area of conflict resolution and their cutting edge technology to the problem of youth violence. Cool School was written by interactive industry veteran F.J. Lennon, based on scenarios and outcomes researched by the University of Maryland's Dr. Melanie Killen, and sponsored by the University of North Texas' Dr. William McKee, as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt project. The game was slated for distribution to every elementary school in the country upon completion. In order to realize that goal, Cool School organizers are seeking private, foundation, and corporate sponsorship.

Cool School is distributed freely by Curriki, an open-source cirriculum exchange platform. Visit www.curriki.org, search for "Cool School", and click on the link for "Cool School: Where Peace Rules", or click here.