Students participate in youth violence prevention program
Camp Tayanoka Executive Director Paula Todd distributed information material to the many students participating including, shown here, sixth-grader Bailey Tompkins. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown at the Salvation Army display are, from left, Ethan Feezle, Ryan Farino, Shawn Chamberlain, Devon Stokes, Salvation Army Captain Angelica Spence, Aris Black, Waylin Pelamati, Jayden Wang and Joslynn Jenkins. The students are seventh-graders. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown at the Interact Club info display, from left, seventh-graders Jordan Winn, Dallas Jackson and Melody Ford. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Executive Director of United Way Services George Hays is shown with, from left, Reagan Maurer, Madolyn Gorby, Zea Evancho, Angela Rohr and Bailey Essick. The United Way is celebrating its 50th anniversary. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown in front of a mural everyone signed are Salem Interact Club members. Front, from left, Alaina Crites, Melody Ford, Audrie Jaeger, Noel Ingeldue, Vincent Griffey, Elise Bender; back, from left, Kendra Cox, Traevon Washington, Interact Advisor Suzanne Harding, Sofia Perez, Katie Adams, Kendle Ford and Ben Kuboff. (Submitted photo)
Camp Tayanoka Executive Director Paula Todd distributed information material to the many students participating including, shown here, sixth-grader Bailey Tompkins. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown at the Salvation Army display are, from left, Ethan Feezle, Ryan Farino, Shawn Chamberlain, Devon Stokes, Salvation Army Captain Angelica Spence, Aris Black, Waylin Pelamati, Jayden Wang and Joslynn Jenkins. The students are seventh-graders. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown at the Interact Club info display, from left, seventh-graders Jordan Winn, Dallas Jackson and Melody Ford. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Executive Director of United Way Services George Hays is shown with, from left, Reagan Maurer, Madolyn Gorby, Zea Evancho, Angela Rohr and Bailey Essick. The United Way is celebrating its 50th anniversary. (Photo by J.D. Creer)
Shown in front of a mural everyone signed are Salem Interact Club members. Front, from left, Alaina Crites, Melody Ford, Audrie Jaeger, Noel Ingeldue, Vincent Griffey, Elise Bender; back, from left, Kendra Cox, Traevon Washington, Interact Advisor Suzanne Harding, Sofia Perez, Katie Adams, Kendle Ford and Ben Kuboff. (Submitted photo)
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Salem Junior High and High School participated in National Youth Violence Prevention Week April 24-28.
Health and Physical Education teacher Suzanne Harding, who serves as Interact Club Advisor, organized several activities for 7-12 grade students throughout the week to promote healthy relationships, mental and emotional health and violence prevention.
The Salem Jr./Sr. High School Interact Club helped facilitate all of the activities. Students completed violence puzzles for Quaker wristbands and signed a non-violence butterfly mural.
Students exchanged kindness cards and stickers during lunch and played a review game on violence statistics.
"My hope was to engage the students and staff in a fun and interactive way to raise awareness," Harding said. "We concluded the week (on Friday) with a health fair during lunch. Violence is one of the leading causes of death for students. Everyone can play a role in preventing youth violence. My goal was to show the students how much support they have in our community. The Rotary Club of Salem helped fund some of the supplies used throughout the week."
The following organizations came to our health fair.
Brightside Project, Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter, OK INC, Psych Care, Salvation Army, Salem PD K-9, OSU extension, 4H, United Way, Family Recovery Center, Christina House Domestic Violence Program, Camp Fire Tayanoka, Akron Children's Hospital, Interact Club and C.A.S.H. Coalition.