A student from Northeast Middle School has been named National Ambassador for Mecklenburg County’s “Do the Write Thing” writing contest. Seventh-grader Haven Williams will represent her peers at the National Campaign to Stop Violence Recognition Week in Washington, D.C., this summer. Her teacher, Mai-Lan Lewis, was also recognized and invited to participate.
The local recognition ceremony took place on May 5 at the Charlotte Police and Fire Training Academy. The program is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence and encourages middle school students to reflect on how youth violence has impacted their lives and consider solutions.
As the National Ambassador, Haven, along with a parent or guardian and Ms. Lewis, will travel to Washington for an all-expenses-paid trip in July. There, Haven’s work will be placed in the Library of Congress. She will visit national landmarks, learn about the nation’s capital, and attend a recognition dinner.
“Do the Write Thing” is a collaboration between Mecklenburg County Community Support Services’ Prevention and Intervention Services division and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The program targets middle school students who are at a formative age where they can express experiences shaping their lives without being entrenched in negative patterns.
Haven’s writing discusses domestic and youth violence’s impact on her life and its influence on her perception of those around her.
The issue of bullying is highlighted as a significant factor leading some students towards gun violence or suicide. Social media contributes by fostering comparisons that lead to insecurities, potentially escalating into severe outcomes like suicide or school shootings.
This year, 587 essays were submitted by students from 14 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Students used various forms of written expression such as essays, poems, plays, or songs within 500 to 1,000 words. Topics frequently addressed included domestic violence, bullying and cyberbullying, physical assaults, alcoholism, exposure to violent media content among others. Northeast Middle School received the “Most Essays” award with 159 submissions earning $300 worth of school supplies.
For many participants, it was their first opportunity to articulate how violence affects them personally through writing—a cathartic experience allowing them to move forward from painful experiences.
Mecklenburg County’s partners in this contest include Communities in Schools alongside Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
