PEACE SCHOLARSHIP
PEACE SCHOLARSHIP
In 2020, The PEACE Program started a 0-3 Montessori training scholarship. Our scholarship supports 0-3 Montessori teachers-in-training with a financial scholarship to offset training expenses as well as a 9-month mentorship in parenting education with The PEACE Program. This program gives 0-3 Montessori trainees practical skills and experience in parenting education to support their training experience and expand their Montessori career opportunities after graduation.
100% of PEACE Scholars have been Black and/or Indigenous and have gone on to earn their 0-3 and/or 3-6 Montessori diplomas.
$8000 worth of funding to PEACE Scholars has been provided from 2020-2023.
60 hours of mentoring and coaching has been provided from 2020-2023
Scholars work closely with Mariana Bissonnette, The PEACE Program founder, and share responsibility with all PEACE facilitators and staff for contributing to the communal values of self-reflection, self-care, responsiveness to being/becoming Anti-Bias / Anti-Racist and a deep commitment to the whole child within the whole family.
Meet Our Scholars
-
![]()
Loretta Cordero
“Since enrolling my first child in our Keres immersion Montessori program, I have learned and realized the importance of our language and reclaiming the education of our Cochiti children. I am committed to doing the hard work because our children deserve that chance. This scholarship will be very helpful in means of financial assistance for material purchasing and lodging while in Phoenix for in training. It would also be helpful being in a community where I know I can receive mentoring.”
-
![]()
Dominique Quintana
“Being able to work with The PEACE Program opened up a new area of possibility for my work. It has inspired me to look beyond the classroom and address what is a lack of training in parent education. Having a mentor during this process will give me the confidence I need both in the classroom as well as being able to educate parents in the Montessori method.”
-
![]()
Emely Flores
“Being a PEACE Scholar has been such a fruitful and unforgettable experience for me. The information and knowledge that I have gained from it has helped me both professionally and personally. I would like to highlight that my experience during my 0-3 training would not have been the same without The Peace Program. Mariana has a broad knowledge about Montessori pedagogy and I am very grateful to her for making these experiences possible. I hope that the next Scholar can enjoy this scholarship as much as I have, and will become a Montessori educator that our children and parents need.”
-
![]()
Rynae Lindsey
“One thing that seems to be lacking from Montessori teacher training is in depth coaching on parent communication and parent education. Working with the PEACE program has provided me with practical experience doing just that, and as a result, has given me a more holistic training experience. Having Mariana as a resource, paired with access to parent-work through the PEACE program has helped me make connections between the theory that I was reading about and real life application. I know I will be a better Guide as a result of this experience.”
-
![]()
IS THIS YOU?
2024 PEACE Scholarship applications open mid-June!
Apply.
PEACE Scholars are awarded up to $1000 to financially support their 0-3 Montessori teacher training experience and will have access to roughly 60 hours of professional development and mentorship over the course of the 9 month academic year (September - May) and a signed, hardcover copy of Babies Build Toddlers ($50 value!). PEACE Scholars will contribute 24 hours toward our parenting education work during their scholarship year, including a presentation at the PEACE Summit. Learn more about this program: www.thepeaceprogram.org/scholarship
Scholarship Application Timeline
Join the Waitlist anytime to be the first to know when applications open!
Mid-June: Funding Round Opens
Mid-July: Deadline for Applications
End of July: Application Review, Interviews & Selection
Early August: Anticipated Date for Funding Decisions
Supporters of the scholarship fund can contribute to it to increase the amount of scholarships we can offer. 100% of contributions go toward training scholarships. Contribute today!
Scholarship Uses
Previous Awardees have used their funds to:
Fund their Montessori training (tuition, books, childcare, travel or living expenses)
Fund additional Professional Development opportunities (conferences, workshops, etc)
Scholar Contributions
Along with our PEACE Facilitators, PEACE Scholars will present one workshop annually at the February PEACE Summit, be a featured speaker on our podcast, and help select the next PEACE Scholar! In addition, scholars have access to observe our parenting support sessions, write for our blog, join another podcast episode and connect with our team of Montessori trained educators working with families around the world.
Criteria To be Eligible:
Approval of your application by the deadline
Acceptance and enrollment into a 0-3 Montessori Teacher training program in the United States by July 31st.
Facilitator Application Process
Join the Waitlist anytime to be the first to know when applications open!
June 3, 2024: Funding Round Opens
July 1, 2024: Deadline for Applications
July 2-July 20, 2024: Application Review, Interviews & Selection
July 21, 2024: Anticipated Date for Funding Decisions
July 31, 2024: Confirmed Grantee Receives Half of Funding
Feb. 23, 2025: PEACE Scholar presentation at the PEACE Summit
Feb. 24, 2025: Confirmed Grantee Receives Second Half of Funding
The PEACE Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other restricting classification in its selection of scholars.
For any questions about The PEACE Program or the application, feel free to contact The PEACE Program founder at mariana@thepeaceprogram.org
SELECTION PROCESS
HOW IT WORKS
0-3 Montessori trained educators sit on the PEACE Scholarship Committee each year.
Mariana Bissonnette receives applications and closes the form by the deadline.
Mariana Bissonnette removes all personal and demographic information from the applications (including candidate names) prior to giving them to the Scholarship Committee to review (Mariana is NOT on the Scholarship Committee).
The PEACE Scholarship Committee receives “cleaned” candidate applications and rates them on various criteria and core competencies. Committee members also receive a rubric and specific guidance on how to rate these criteria.
Mariana Bissonnette receives the ratings from the Scholarship Committee and finds the average total ratings for each applicant. The top two applicants are invited to interview
The PEACE Program then invites two candidates to interview with both Mariana Bissonnette and the previous year’s PEACE Scholar.
A final decision is made after the interview.
More About the PEACE Scholarship Committee
The Scholarship Committee typically consists of between 4-6 members who all have 0-3 Montessori certification. Some are classroom teachers, some are administrators, some are parent-educators, and some are PEACE facilitators. The PEACE Program aims to have a diverse Scholarship Committee each year with different lived experiences and different professional backgrounds.
We live into our values of self-reflection, self-care, responsiveness to being/becoming Anti-Bias / Anti-Racist, and a deep commitment to the whole child within the whole family in every aspect of our programming. Learn more about us.