Several Miami-Dade County Public Schools will be observing National Youth Violence Prevention Week the week of Monday, April 4th. A variety of activities will be held to raise awareness about the need to prevent violence against and among the nation’s youth.
Activities centered at District high schools include assemblies hosted by anti-violence educators and police, Orange Shirt days, door decorating contests, rallies and pledge days.
The public school anti-violence programs and activities will be guided by the leadership of student ambassadors. Last year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) launched the Peace Ambassadors Leadership Program.
Through the program, 130 high school juniors from 13 area high schools were selected to be Peace Ambassadors – “change agents” in their family, amongst their peers and within their community. As “change agents,” Peace Ambassadors look for the opportunities to lead their community and actively speak out against the cycle of violence. M-DCPS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office coordinate neighborhood working groups with the Peace Ambassadors in order to develop tangible action plans that focus on neighborhood needs and leverage each of their unique strengths, understanding, and resources.
