The St. Thomas-St. John Division of Special Education will host a youth summit on Oct. 9-12 that will give students throughout the district the chance to talk one-on-one with a panel of local and national gang experts.
According to organizers, the summit is meant to give students more relevant information about gangs and violence so that they can make better decisions. The event will be held at the Sugar Bay Resort on St. Thomas and targets students in the 5th – 12th grades. Along with sharing their experiences and knowledge in the field of gang affiliation, presenters will also speak to students about the importance of not getting involved in gang activities.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Estate Bovoni Weed & Seed Program., along with the V.I. Anti-Gang Committee and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the event’s list of presenters include: El Louis Jordon (a professional consultant on “Executive Protection, Street Gangs, Youth Violence and Cultural Diversity” for National CSI), Darryl L. Bego (a director of teen and family development programs in Charlotte, North Carolina) and Ann S. Kelly (founder of the Hands & Words are Not for Hurting Project).
Local presenters will include: motivational speakers Boyd Brown and Dave R. Queeley, U.S. Marshall Reginald Bradshaw and U.S. Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe.
“There has been a substantial increase in gang violence among youths in the Virgin Islands in recent years, and we would like to make the community more aware of the gang presence in and out of the schools,” said Truvia Plaskett, program director for the St. Thomas-St. John Division of Special Education. “It is also critical that our students be taught how to recognize the signs and learn the consequences of being in a gang – this summit will help us do that. It is also designed to equip students with skills that will help build self-esteem and improve decision making, and it will give the students a way to connect the classroom to the real world.”
The summit schedule is as follows:
Oct. 9 – 5th and 6th graders
Oct. 10 – 7th and 8th graders
Oct. 11 – 9th and 10th graders
Oct. 12 – 11th and 12th graders
Related Links: http://handsproject.org/about/ and http://www.ydiinc.org/darryl_bego.php
