Do The Write Thing Challenge
All across America, students are rising to the challenge of doing something to end youth violence. The Do the Write Thing Challenge gives middle school students an opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives. Through classroom discussions and writings, students communicate what they think should be done to reduce youth violence. In addition, they make personal commitments to do something about this problem.
The program involves a classroom discussion and a “Challenge” to answer three questions in written form:
Question # 1
How has youth violence affected my life?Question # 1
How has youth violence affected my life?Question # 2
What are the causes of youth violence?Question # 2
What are the causes of youth violence?Question # 3
What can I do to reduce youth violence?Question # 3
What can I do to reduce youth violence?Reading and judging all the writings submitted by the 28,379 Palm Beach County students who participated in the 2016 Challenge was an enormous undertaking that would not be possible without the assistance of the teachers, administrators and staff of the participating middle schools together with the members of the Local Steering Committee who made certain that every student who submitted a writing was considered.
The goal of the program is to reduce violence in homes, schools and neighborhoods by encouraging students to make a personal commitment to do something about this problem. Complete information about the program is available online at www.dtwt.org
There are 36,000 students enrolled in 34 Palm Beach County district operated public middle schools. Of that number, 28,379 students took the Challenge and answered the three questions in writing. Many more participated in classroom discussions.Those schools with at least 50% of their students taking the Challenge were eligible to advance their “Top 10” best student writings to the next level of judging and all of those “Top 10” students are published in this book.
National Campaign to Stop Violence Office
Do the Write Thing Challenge was established by the National Campaign to Stop Violence (NCSV) and is administered by the national office and by the local steering committee in each participating region. NCSV encourages individuals and businesses to make a difference in the lives of young people. If you would like to help NCSV with your time or resources, please contact the National Campaign to Stop Violence at:
2021 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Telephone: 800-256-0235.
Do The Write Thing National Program
It is our great privilege to send one boy and one girl participant as guests of the local committee to serve as Ambassadors from Palm Beach County at the national recognition ceremony this summer. They will join their fellow Do the Write Thing Challenge Ambassadors from across the country and have the honor of meeting with national leaders to discuss the issue of youth violence.