Making Sure Our Young People Thrive

Message From the President and CEO

By Alfonso E. Lenhardt, President and CEO

We are reminded by the tenth anniversary of the Columbine school shootings of the need to protect our young people. For our children to thrive, they must have safe and secure school environments in which to learn and socialize, free of worries about their physical safety, bullying, cyberbullying, and gang violence. No student at an elementary school, middle school, or high school should have to worry about what’s going to happen when they get off the school bus. Yet many do—and with good reason.

But the same holds true of life in the community. Young people of all ages must be free of fear about crime to achieve their dreams and their true potential. But they may be subject to the same kinds of victimization in the community as at school. They may be bullied in any number of ways. Worse, they may be robbed by a thug or attacked by a gang. But this is where neighborhood groups, faith groups, organizations for youth, and others must intervene and interrupt the cycle. Those involved in or attracted to gangs must be presented with attractive, realistic alternatives. Those young people who are at-risk for dangerous behavior need credible, creative outlets for their energy. Returning ex-offenders need to be provided with programs that capitalize on their skills, intellect, and ties to their families lest they offend again, costing the taxpayers scare funds needed for policing and prosecution and, perhaps, further incarceration.

In this issue of Catalyst, Deputy Courtney Beal Spriggs of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Forsyth County, GA, writes in her Top Story about how schools in that county are using kid-friendly technology to keep school violence in check. The program is novel and promising. In addition, Joselle Shea, director of NCPC’s Children and Youth Initiatives, writes about how crime prevention personnel can help schools communicate better with parents about school safety, get parents involved in their children’s school, ease parental worries about the school’s environment, and even enhance their children’s academic performance.

Schools are now headed into the final stretch before summer vacation. The summer can be an ideal time for administrators to plan how to address school safety issues so they can launch new programs when the next school year begins. And, perhaps groups that serve children and youth in the community may have some ideas for fine-tuning their plans before they launch their summer activities. NCPC has a wealth of information and free or low-cost materials on everything from bullying and cyberbullying to gang prevention and substance abuse. Just visit our website.

It is up to all of us to protect what matters most, and our young people are high on that list. NCPC offers programs and services to ensure that our children and teens stay safe. They include McGruff Club, which teaches safety basics to our youngest children, and Be Safe and Sound in School, which promotes safe schools. But we must all look out for our young people, wherever they may be, and make sure they get the chance in life they deserve.