"I am for Peace" Student-Led Campaign to Spread Peace on Chicago's South Side

David Terry - reprinted pscedu.org
Published: June 3, 2014

@GADC_Chicago, @Elev8, @AuburnGreshamGOLD™, education team participates with Perspectives students, during an organized March to support their campaign for Peace in Chicago. (Pictures Courtesy of Anya Cawthon)

Read article below, for more details on the students launch of a Kickstarter campaign to fund a film about the power of youth to reclaim their community from violence and save lives.

CHICAGO, May 20, 2014 – In a city with one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation, thousands of charter school students are making a stand for peace. On June 5, 2014, more than 2,000 students from Perspectives Charter Schools will lead a peace march through the South Side of Chicago.

The students were empowered by Perspectives’ A Disciplined Life® curriculum to take action and try to disrupt the violence in their communities. They have timed the march to coincide with the end of the school year when shootings typically increase in their neighborhoods.

“We were sitting in our Life Skills class talking about a boy who was shot at a basketball game, and we decided the best way to deal with it was to try to do something about it,” said Razia Hutchins, a junior at Perspectives and one of the organizers of the peace march.

Perspectives students want to spread the message of peace beyond the June 5 march, so they are working with former producers of the Oprah Winfrey Show on a short documentary to empower youth across Chicago and the entire country to stand up against violence.

The students recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $35,000 to produce the “I’m For Peace” film and only have 22 days left to reach their goal.

“We need everyone’s support and even $5 will help,” said David Gonzalez, an 8th grader at Perspectives. “Many people read about the violence in the newspaper and don’t think there is anything they can do about it. Donating to our Kickstarter campaign and telling your friends about it is a small way to make a big difference.”

To support “I Am for Peace” via Kickstarter, visit http://bit.ly/PCS4peace.

Photo opportunities and interviews can be arranged with students, parents, teachers and administrators of Perspectives by contacting David Terry at dterry@pcsedu.org, or 312-604-2142.

About Perspectives Charter Schools
Founded in 1997 by two public school teachers, Perspectives Charter Schools is a network of open enrollment public schools across the South Side of Chicago, serving nearly 2,200 students. Perspectives educates students for college and prepares them for life. At Perspectives, the A Disciplined Life education model combines academic rigor with a focus on character development. Despite coming from some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago, Perspectives students graduate from high school, enroll in college, and persist towards graduation at rates above the national average for all students, regardless of background. Learn more at pcsedu.org