Sometimes getting along with your peers can be tough. But a local school has found a new way to help its students handle conflict.

It's common disagreements like he took my jump rope or she made a face at me, but now Espy Elementary has a different way of solving it.

The Mediator Program is designed to teach students how to resolve conflict. Six students from each grade level were selected to be mediators for the year. 

"I was really excited, like yay I got it," says fourth grader Abby Voelker. She is one of a dozen kids who spent an entire Saturday afternoon learning how to be a mediator.
And she learned the key is just listening. "Helping people isn't solving their problems for them."

When kids have a problem, they have to fill out a form, then they sit down with a mediator and talk it out.

"I'll try and help and do the best I can for everybody," says fourth grade mediator Devan Stagner.

Teachers selected the mediators for each class by considering several factors like how well the student can keep a secret, think on their feet and remain unbiased.

"If we do a bad job we could no longer be the mediator," says Stagner.

The added benefit of the program is more time for the teachers to focus on teaching kids rather than solving minor problems.

"If a child's going to be sitting in my classroom angry or upset or just emotional when the emotions come in they can't concentrate on learning," says teacher Lisa Price.

Kids are told that if they have a problem with another student, they should wait until recess and then have a mediator help them work it out. 

School Counselor Malinda Reagan says she hopes it going to teach kids some good life lessons. "As long as they calm down and think, minor issues can be resolved very quickly."

Students aren't required to participate in the mediation program if their parents don't want them to.

If kids decide that a conflict is too big for a mediator to handle, they can always go to a teacher.