By Danielle Bulluck Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – Syracuse City School District and other community member are taking step to ending youth violence. V.O.I.C.E (Violence Overcome By Involving Community Effort) program had its first annual State of the Youth Rally on May 31.
The Boys and Girls Clubs, youth organizations, anti-violence groups, even city and state officials were all in attendance to speak with over a hundred high school students at Onondaga County Community College. The rally was a panel discussion about how to come together has a community and what to do to prevent violence in and out of school.
New York Sen. Rachel May hosted the event and gave her own thoughts to students about how to end the youth violence. She has resources for students to use to get involved.
“A lot of them are looking for how do I take my experience and turn it into something positive, turn it into something that can really help other people,” May said. She said her goal is to help them navigate how to turn their experience and turn it positive on a state level.
Students got a chance to voice their concerns on school fights, gun violence and how to not falling into peer pressure. Lepa Jones, a panel member and the president of Mothers Against Gun Violence, spoke about the death of her son and the duty she now has to community to stop gun violence.
“It takes a community to stand and you can’t spell community without the unity,” Jones said.
All five of Syracuse city school district high schools were in attendance. Student got answer to many of the questions they had on what to do in the time of danger.
Executive Director of Programs for Youth Teens at the Shonnard Street Boys and Girls Club Deka Dancil believes that it starts with being peer leader — which means student encouraging other students to do the right thing. She said it begins by one student leading by example.
“Just like what your friends think matters to you, it matters to them as well,” Dancil said.
One Corcoran High School student recognized her voice matters and decided after the rally to be on a mission to be a peer leader.
“I’ve learned that my voice is more effective with a friend than adult,” Anajha DeLee said. DeLee also said she was glad to have a panel that she could related to. Other students at the event were also adamant about ending violence because of their own personal experiences.
The Syracuse V.O.I.C.E program also has a mentoring program for student has a support system and will continue “The State of the Youth Rally” once a year.
