Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray will be the keynote speaker on Friday, May 13, 2011, when the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office hosts its fifteenth “World Against Violence” Youth Conference (WAV #15): “No More Bullying!” for approximately 500 students from middle schools located in Newark, Irvington, East Orange, South Orange, Maplewood and Livingston. The goal of the one-day summit is to engage students in grades 6 through 8 in a one-day symposium on the consequences of bullying, becoming involved with gangs, guns, drugs and other delinquent behavior.
Reporters are welcome to cover this event.
This invitation-only youth conference will be held at New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights in Newark from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In addition to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Murray, motivational speaker, Hashim Garrett will discuss the poor choices he made during adolescence. Among other things, he will discuss how he overcame various obstacles, including suffering a spinal chord injury after being shot six times by a teenager. Mr. Garrett will encourage students to make positive choices and he will tackle the issue of bullying.
Students will experience a variety of speakers and breakout group discussions focused around the theme “No More Bullying!”
The breakout sessions will include:
1) “Cyber bullying”: Children are being exposed to inappropriate content on the Internet. In addition to being bullied in person, students are now being harassed online and via text messages. Students who are bullied via cyberspace often find embarrassing and/or harmful images and content about themselves on various social media websites. In this interactive website, students will learn ways to protect themselves online.
2) “You are So Beautiful: Bullying & Your Self Esteem!” This workshop, presented by former Star-Ledger reporter and motivational speaker, Caryl Lucas, will address how bullying harms individuals self esteem and mental health. Through a series of interactive exercises, students will learn how to identify different types of bullies and protect themselves from verbal abuse.
3) “Gun Violence: DON’T SHOOT. I want to grow up!” This workshop will offer students the realities and dangers of guns and gun violence.
4) “Gang Life: More Dangerous than you know,” this workshop will discuss the realities and dangers of gang life. The workshop will also discuss how bullying and peer pressure pay an integral role in how young people are recruited into the gang lifestyle. Smaller workshops will be held throughout the day to teach students about the negative consequences of bullying. Major funding support for this activity is provided by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.
If you need additional information, please contact Gwendolyn Williams at 973-621-5381 or Nicole Graves-Watson at 973-621-5377.
