The symposium will begin with remarks by U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings. After Ehrmann's speech, participants can take part in one of four sessions led by partners in the Choose Civility Program.
John and Joan Webb Scornaienchi, owners of the Columbia-based etiquette-training firm Ambassador Protocol, will talk about "Promoting Civility in Your Neighborhood."
Webb Scornaienchi said after a year of the campaign's public message, "this is the perfect time to re-evaluate our behavior and recommit to being our most civil selves."
As part of that commitment, she said, "We all have a responsibility to keep our neighborhoods safe and look out for each other. ... I think we can all use a refresher on neighborhood etiquette."
In another session, Kathryn B. Rockefeller, director of the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Center at Howard Community College, will talk about "Why Looking Out for No. 1 Doesn't Work."
Rockefeller said she hopes to show that helping oneself is a positive thing and helping others is important. She said: "I want to help people recognize it can be an `and' and not a `but' between the two. ... They should realize helping society as whole also helps them."
In addition, Pam Blackwell, director of student services for the Howard County Public School System, will present a program called "Being Safe and Sensible in Cyberspace," that will focus on cyber-bullying prevention. Lassen and library colleague Stacey Fields will focus on "Civility in the Workplace."
Organizers plan to make the symposium an annual event. They are also working on a tool kit that will pull together information on the Howard County campaign for other areas looking to start a similar effort.
Gross said Howard County already is a nice place to live, but "we always need to be reminded to be civil, because we are human beings."
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Civility workshop
What: Choose Civility Symposium: Civility Begins With Me
When: Wednesday, 8 a.m. to noon
Where: Grace Community Church, 8200 Old Columbia Road, Fulton.
Program: Keynote speech by former Baltimore Colt Joe Ehrmann, followed by breakout sessions on cyber-bullying, civility in the workplace, conflict resolution and civility in your neighborhood.
Registration: Carol Murray, 410-313-7762 or carol.murray@hclibrary.org, by Monday.
