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Weed and Seed Looks at Youth Programs
(posted Jan )
The Eagledale Lafayette Square Area Seed subcommittee decided to advance
with the idea of bringing Peace in the Streets, Stop the Violence program
to the area.
Aaron Williams, one of the principal program founders, addressed the committee
at its Jan 24 meeting. Williams started the program at the Christamore
House in 2004 in connection with the Westside Weed and Seed and Christamore
House. "Peace in the Streets, Stop the Violence" is a marketing
campaign that is promoted on t-shirts, hats, wrist bands, yard signs and
billboards. In addition to the marketing campaign, a teen opportunity program
is offered to a target ages 14 to 24. It is a curriculum program developed
by the juvenile justice department to reduce violence by teaching life
skills, conflict resolution and community involvement. He said the reason
the target age is so high is to help catch the high school drop out by
offering GED training. He said the program relies on paid facilitators
to teach the curriculum that is funded by corporate sponsors.
Williams said he recruits students from the schools instead of trying to
implement the program in every school. The program now has participants
from Ben Davis, Northwest, Pike and George Washington High Schools.
To maintain the Department of Justice grant requirements, the Eagledale
Lafayette Square Area (ELSA) Weed and Seed program must have youth programs
to deter crime.
ELSA Executive Director Scott Rosenberger emphasized that raising money
from the public sector is even more critical since the government slashed
weed and seed appropriations by 35%, therefore, ELSA will only receive
$150,000 instead of the $250,000 for the 2008 budget.
Linda Karn also discussed the idea of starting a parade to showcase weed
and seed in the area and to engage the community to be involved.
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