National Youth Violence Prevention Week (NYVPW) is next month -- April 3-7, 2006. Looking for activities to highlight the week at your school? Below is a sampling of the activities that were undertaken at schools nationwide for last year’s event. Share with us what your school is doing for this year’s event and we might feature your school’s NYVPW activities in a future column for all to see! Just visit the campaign website atwww.violencepreventionweek.org and click on message boards to tell us about your event activities.

North Chicago High School
Chicago, Illinois
Advisors: Carl Bradford & Ed Bates
“SAVE Youth Violence Prevention Week”

During the 2005 National Youth Violence Prevention Week, students in the North Chicago High SAVE chapter worked with youth in grades 1-6 in their area by providing presentations, classroom activities, and by having the youth sign personal pledges to prevent violence. The SAVE members at North Chicago High became active advocates for violence prevention by promoting healthy and safe choices in the areas of anger management, conflict resolution and drug prevention choices.

Shiloh Village School
O`Fallon, Illinois
Advisor: Debbie Hocher
“Purple Ribbon Rewards”

The SAVE chapter at Shiloh Village School in O’Fallon, Illinois held many activities leading up and during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 4-8, 2005. One particular event that proved successful was holding a quarterly “reward party” to acknowledge positive attitudes and methods of handling problems and conflict. All students were given a purple ribbon at the beginning of the quarter. If a staff member observed a student being disrespectful, displaying anger inappropriately or involved in a violent conflict, his or her ribbon was taken away. All students still with ribbons at the end of the quarter attended the “reward party.”

Williamsville High School
Williamsville, Illinois
Advisor: Officer Phil Brown
“Pre-Prom Violence Prevention & National Youth Violence Prevention Week”

Williamsville High School SAVE Chapter in Illinois conducted activities that brought awareness to the entire student body about the effects and consequences of youth violence as part of the 2005 National Youth Violence Prevention Week. Guest speakers, informational booths and classes were featured and then the chapter followed-up the event with pre-prom violence prevention activities focusing on drug and alcohol education, dating violence, and responsible living themes.

Alexander Elementary School
New Orleans, Louisiana
Advisors: Wil Navarre and Charlotte Matthew
“Pledge Against Violence During National Youth Violence Prevention Week”

Alexander Elementary SAVE chapter advisors, Wil Navarre and Charlotte Matthew believe that “students may not realize the power they have to make a difference in preventing or reducing youth violence.” However, the activities they guided students in conducting as part of National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 4-8, 2005 “raised their awareness level and gave them the opportunity to participate in specific conflict resolution activities.” Teams of adults led activities in teaching conflict resolution skills to students from pre-school to grade six. Students signed a large banner that accommodated all signatures of students, faculty and community members as a pledge against violence during the campaign week.

Ayden Grifton High School
Ayden, North Carolina
Advisor: Johnny R. Letchworth
“SAVE Mentors”

The SAVE chapter at Ayden Grifton High School visited the Ayden Grifton Middle School 8th grade classes. During their visits, which were held during the 2005 National Youth Violence Prevention Week, the high school students taught middle school students positive and safe ways to handle conflicts and problems. SAVE members hope to promote an atmosphere of safety and violence-free halls and classrooms in their school for years to come.

Hall-Woodward Elementary School
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Advisor: Yvonne McSwain
“Promoting SAVE throughout National Youth Violence Prevention Week”

Yvonne McSwain, SAVE Advisor at Hall Woodward Elementary School believes that “by providing students with a safe and nonviolent environment (it) will help them become more productive citizens and help keep them on track in finding simple ways to incorporate better choices into their everyday routine.” The National Youth Violence Prevention Campaign provided resources and materials for students to use in spreading the message of SAVE to all students in and around their school and in their homes during National Youth Violence Prevention Week, April 4-8, 2005. The entire school and invited guests participated in forming a “peace circle” to emphasize unity and peace as a way of preventing violence as a culminating event to the week.

Highland School of Technology
Gastonia, North Carolina
Advisor: Ami Parker
“Peace through Performance”

Highland School of Technology has had a very active SAVE chapter for several years. Much of the student’s work and planning goes into activities for National Youth Violence Prevention Week each spring. Last year’s event took place April 4-8, 2005 and the chapter expanded upon past step performances, speakers and music with a dramatic performance for schools in their county. In addition the Highland School of Technology SAVE Step Team performed at several middle and high schools with their message, “Stomp Out the Violence.”

Chandler High School
Chandler, Oklahoma
Advisor: Diann Herrmann
“Puppets for Peace"

Students at Chandler High School utilize SAVE as part of the Chandler “Positive Peers” program. The

group incorporated puppets as part of their peer mentoring/positive peer presentations to younger students throughout the community. The group held their first performance during National Youth Violence Prevention Week in 2005.

Moore Intermediate School
Florence, South Carolina
Advisor: Officer Gloria Howard
“Moore Intermediate Eagles”

The SAVE chapter at Moore Intermediate School celebrated National Youth Violence Prevention Week by holding a regional SAVE Summit to promote the message and meaning of SAVE to more schools and community members around Florence, South Carolina. The local Summit provided speakers, workshop sessions on topics such as respect, anger management and peer mediation; as well as for a safety fair.