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Baltimore City Leaders Work To End Youth Violence

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is pulling the community together to end youth violence on a national and local level.

Tracey Leong explains how city leaders are planning for the next generation.

Deadly and brutal violence plagues the streets of Baltimore, a vicious cycle stunting the city's youth.

"This issue of violence is too important for us to fall short," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

From 2013-2014, the number of homicides overall dropped 10% but when you look at victims under 18, you see a 30% spike. City leaders are now declaring it a public health issue, urging people to treat it like the flu or measles.

"It's something that's infectious and spreads from person to person, causes fear, wreaks havoc---but just the same, something that can be prevented and treated," said Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Department.

By reframing how we view youth violence, city leaders hope to break down the barriers to build a foundation for the next generation.

"This year's focus aims to bring voices of young people, especially the voices of young black men, into the forefront of our public safety dialogue," Rawlings-Blake said.

"We have to recognize the problems and the risk factors but also to promote resilience and protective factors like academic achievement, connections with adults and strong families and neighborhoods," Wen said.

Youth Violence Prevention Week kicks off next Monday. They will be hosting more than 70 events held to promote positive youth interaction.

Here is the full list of events:

Event: Creating Non- Violence Posters
Date: March 23rd
Center: James D. Gross
Time: 4pm.
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: 3on3 Basketball Challenge
Date: March 24th
Center: James D. Gross
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: The Spoken Word
Date: March 25th
Center: James D. Gross
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: Role Play Skits on Violence Prevention
Date: March 26th
Center: James D. Gross
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12

Event: Staying Out of Gangs
Date: March 27th
Center: James D. Gross
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12

Event: Guest Speaker-Officer Charles Lee
Date: March 23rd
Center: John E. Howard
Time: 4pm and 6:30pm
Age: 5-12 and Teens

Event: How to Prevent Violence Around You (discussion)
Date: March 24th
Center: John E. Howard
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12

Event: Discussion On Youth Violence (Officer Lee and others)
Date: March 25th
Center: John E. Howard
Time: 4pm
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: Guest Speaker –Sheriff Officer Deputy Haskins
Date: March 26th
Center: John E. Howard
Time: 4pm and 6:30pm
Age: 5-12yrs and Teen

Event: Baltimore City Police Explores
Date: March 27th
Center: John E. Howard
Time: 6:30pm
Age: Teens

Event: Open Night
Date: March 23rd
Center: Roosevelt
Time: 6-8pm
Age: 13-17yrs old

Event: Guest Speaker and Violence Prevention Workshop
Date: March 25th
Center: Roosevelt
Time: 6pm and 7:15pm
Age: 13-17yrs

Event: Non- Violence Game Day
Date: March 23rd
Center: Roosevelt
Time: 3pm
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: Violence Prevention Poster Day
Date: March 24th
Center: Roosevelt
Time: 3-5pm
Age: 5-12yrs

Event: Dance Matters
Date: March 23rd
Center: Mt. Royal
Time: 6:30pm
Age: All ages

Event: Gang Awareness Symbols
Date: March 25th
Center: Mt. Royal
Time: 3:45pm
Age: 10-14yrs

Event: Black Professional Men
Date: March 23-27
Center: Mt. Royal
Time: 3:45pm and 5pm
Age: 5-14yrs

Event: Anger Management Skit
Date: March 26th
Center: Mt. Royal
Time: 3:45pm
Age: 7-9yrs

Event: Team Building and Art Mural
Date: March 24th and 25th
Center: Mt. Royal
Time: 3:35pm
Age: 5-6yrs

FRED B. LEIDIG

Make a Friend Monday - focuses on bully prevention through tolerance and respect - discuss What gets people teased? Why tease? Why bully? Befriend someone who may be "different".

Technique Tuesday - focuses on anger management - Shout it out (screaming, exercise, music, and other ways to release negative energy)

Workshop Wall Wednesday - wall displaying peace symbols as a pledge to practice what was learned in workshop, and to continue the school year fight free

Thriving Thursday - role playing peer mediation, potentially violent scenarios, and counterattacking the snitches get stitches logic

Footprint Friday - summary of the week and walking it out to continue to prevent violence

MORRELL PARKCOMMUNITY CENTER
Monday 3/23/14- Open discussion on Anger Management with ASP (afterschool program)
Tuesday 3/24/15- Essay Contest on Respect with the ASP
Wednesday 3/25/15- Let's talk it out with the Senior Citizen Program on Conflict of Resolution with ASP.
Thursday 3/26/15 – ASP Bulling Poster Contest
Friday 3/27/15 ASP make a Chalk Picture on the sidewalk about Peace.

LAKELAND RECREATION CENTER
Monday 3/23/15 ASP Role Playing on how to defuse situation peacefully ages 5-13 time 4-5 pm.
Tuesday 3/24/15 3 on 3 Basketball tournament How to enjoy a game without violence. Ages 15-18 time 6:30 to 8:30
Wednesday 3/25/15 Parents get involved with prevention on how to discuss ways to prevent your child from being violent.
Thursday 3/26/15 Poster Contest on stop Violence age time 4 pm to 5pm.
Friday 3/27/15 Skate for Friendship bring a friend and skate age 15 and under time 6pm to 8 pm. Refreshments served.

SAMUEL F. B. MORSE
Monday 3/23/15 Poster Contest teens ages 6-8 pm
Tuesday 3/24/15 Role Playing how not to be a bully ASP time 4-6 pm
Wednesday 3/25/15 Reach out to the unreached ASP time 4-6 pm
Thursday 3/27/15 ASP will make a peace Murals time 4-6 pm
Friday 3/27/15 "Can you Hear Me" (Round Robin) Teens 5 -7pm

PATAPSCO RECREATION CENTER
March 23rd
• Recreation Safety Committee: For the entire week youth ages 9 to 11 will monitor programs and document, positive and negative behaviors of peers. At the end of the week all participants will share their observations 3–5 pm.
March 24th
• Youth ages 5 to 8 will create a Peace Mural. This will be outside using chalk creating a Peace Sidewalk 3-5pm.
March 25th
• Experience History: Youth ages 11-13 will identify examples of respect and disrespect in history and role play the situations 3-5pm.
March 26th
• Youth ages 5-12 and staff will create posters and signs with non-violent words and pictures. Take them out to show the community, 3-5pm.
March 27th
• Youth ages 5-13 and staff will sing songs pertaining to "Peace". Youth will express to the group one positive thing they have experienced during the week. Also, Recreation Safety Committee will share their observations 3-5pm.

BENTALOU RECREATION CENTER
Pastor Lamont Jefferson, of Laborers of the Harvest Ministries will be speaking to the youth on March 26th at 6:00pm during Youth Violence Prevention Week at Bentalou Recreation Center.
Coldstream - On March 23, 2015 from 3pm-5:30pm will be our youth violence prevention program. We will have a police officer to speak to our participants and various games informing & sharing about violence prevention

EDGEWOOD RECREATION CENTER
Anti-Violence program: Edgewood Lyndhurst Recreation Center Stop The Violence Challenge
Wednesday March 25th 5:30p.m- 8 p.m.
Open mic and performances dedicated to anti-violence and community rebuilding

JAMES McHENRY RECREATION CENTER
"Stop the Violence" Community Relations discussion with BCPD. On March 24th, 2015 from 5pm-7:00pm will be our youth violence prevention program. BCPD will come in to speak to participants and various games informing & sharing about violence prevention

MARY E. RODMAN RECREATION CENTER
March 23rd Anti-Bully Poem Night
March 24th Girls Anti-Violence Skit
March 25th Anti-Violence Word Games
March 26th Boys Anti-Violence Skit
March 27th Anti-Violence Oral Discussion

MEDFIELD RECREATION CENTER
Anti-Bully program including an Oral Discussion for ages 5-12 on March 27, 2015 from 3:30-4:30pm.
Robert C Marshall – "Make Peace, NOT violence" youth workshop with various speakers on Friday March 27, 2015 at 6:00pm. This event will be open to both Teens and youth

RITA CHURCH COMMUNITY CENTER
Will host a No Bullying poster contest and a speaker who was shot and is now paralyzed come speak to the kids about the outcomes of violence.

OLIVER RECREATION CENTER
Conflict Resolution Role Playing. Team Building Games. Ant-Violence Discussion and role play. Bullying Seminar, journaling. Watch Frozen and discuss the bullying and the anti-violence solutions that could have been used.

FT. WORTHINGTON RECREATION CENTER
Team building activities and anti-bullying role play. Promote Respect and Tolerance.

CECIL-KIRK RECREATION CENTER
Respect Self & Others: "Hit Me – I'm Different"

Communicate Better: "Use Verbal Muscle to Deal with Anger"

Listen Carefully: "Listening Faces" and "Listening Hearts"

Forgive: "Bury Our Grudges"

GREENMOUNT RECREATION CENTER
Cultural Awareness Day. Reach out to the Unreached. Mediate This. Create a PSA.

COLLINGTON SQUARE RECREATION CENTER
Manage Your Anger. Promote Respect and Tolerance. Pledge to be Fight Free

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