During the summer of 1995 a group of educators in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) created an innovative program, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Summer Institute on Nonviolence, to help young people learn alternatives to violent behavior. The program was designed to train peer leaders in nonviolence so they could return to their schools and communities to promote peace and nonviolence. The program's curriculum and pedagogical techniques were based on current research about the best ways to deal with youth violence. Of the 16 student participants, 11 were female and 5 were male. Nine were African American, one was Asian American, one was Hispanic American, and four were Caucasian. A variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, including feedback from the participants and their parents, were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the summer program. Student and parent responses indicated that the participants were interested in the program's ideas and learned about ways to prevent violence. In follow up meetings, students indicated that they were functioning as peer leaders in their own environments, working to promote peace and nonviolence. The first year of this program was successful within the context of its stated goals. (Contains 3 tables and 22 references.) (SLD)