Although you might be busy filling out brackets for your annual March Madness pool, it’s important to note that people across the nation are working towards putting an end to a completely different type of madness. Right now, students and teachers are expanding their efforts to combat youth violence by participating in National Youth Violence Prevention Week, which runs from March 18-22.
The goal of the National Youth Violence Prevention Campaign is to raise awareness and to educate both students and teachers on effective ways to reduce or eliminate youth violence. According to the Centers for Disease Control, youth violence is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. The weeklong campaign focuses on a new aspect of youth violence prevention each day. You can see the topics below.
Day 1 – Promoting Respect & Tolerance
Day 2 – Manage Your Anger, Don’t Let It Manage You
Day 3 – Resolve Conflicts Peacefully
Day 4 – Support Safety
Day 5 – Unite in Action.
The City of Minneapolis has also joined the fight to curb youth violence. In conjunction with PeaceMaker Minnesota, the Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Minneapolis Youth Congress, the city is asking local businesses and the general public to participate in events to help end youth violence. The NYVPC has put together a youth violence prevention toolkit that you can download if you’re interested in getting involved, and if you know somebody who has helped prevent youth violence, you can nominate then for the Minneapolis PeaceMaker Award, which recognizes outstanding members of the community.
We’ve already documented the correlations between youth brain development and decision making, so teaching students effective ways to manage their anger and emotions should be beneficial in their cognitive development. For more information on the campaign, or to learn how you can get involved, visit the Students Against Violence Everywhere site.
