The Do the Write Thing Essay Challenge is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence, a non-profit organization made up of businesses, and community and government leaders. This group is committed to reducing youth violence, and improving the health of our families and communities. The Do the Write Thing Essay Challenge Program began in 1994 as a local program in Washington, D.C. and expanded in 1996 to other cities across the U.S. Today, the program includes eighteen cities and twenty National Guard sites.

FORMS

VIDEOS / IMAGES

RESOURCES

MEDIA

TESTIMONIES

Charlotte-Mecklenburg was invited to join The Do the Write Thing Essay Challenge Program in 1998 when the national office contacted Mecklenburg County asking them to manage the local initiative. The local program was launched as a pilot project in 1999 with participation from after-school programs.

One of the program's primary objectives is to motivate students to make a personal commitment, in writing, to help prevent and reduce youth violence in their home, school, and communities.

• How has youth violence and drugs affected my life?
• What are the causes of youth violence?
• What can I do about youth violence drugs?

Volunteer readers will judge the essays. TO VOLUNTEER please send your Name & Phone Number to Ronnie.Devine@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov.

Essays are due on Friday, February 12, 2010.

One male and one female student will be selected as the challenge program "winner" for their middle school and will attend a awards reception on April 26, 2010 at the Mint Museum on Randolph Road. 

One male and one female "finalist" will be determined to represent Charlotte-Mecklenburg in the national event taking place in Washington, DC later this year.

CONTACT:
Ronnie Devine
Project Safe Neighborhoods
704-336-8630
Ronnie.Devine@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov

FORMS:

Cover Sheet & Consent Statement Form
DTWT Participation Form

Poster-
2010 Do The Write Thing poster (JPG)

VIDEOS / IMAGES:

Videos-

Do The Write Thing video

Photos-
2009 Awards Reception

2009 Washington, DC event

RESOURCES:

National Campaign To Stop Violence

MEDIA

Local Kickoff NR 012710

TESTIMONIES

"The students have been working really hard on their entries, and I've seen some outstanding ones! Thank you again for doing this contest. I found out just how many of our students have been victims of bullying/youth violence; quite a shocking number of students -- some that you would not even suspect -- shared very personal stories that even made many of their peers cry. I think the sharing of such stories brought the students closer together."      (Andrea Reimers, Grade 7 Language Arts Teacher, Davidson IB Middle School)

For more information on the effects of gun violence in our community, call Community Support Services at (704) 432-SAFE (7233) or
CSS Project Safe Neighborhoods at (704) 336-8630.