The following story, about a March 9th Vermilion County student event at Schlarman Academy, is written by Schlarman Academy senior Liam Billings
On Monday, March 9, students from Schlarman Academy’s Future Problem Solvers hosted and joined over 90 student delegates from area schools to meet with State Representative Brandun Schweizer, Mayor Ricky Williams, and other community leaders. The Vermilion County Youth Leadership Symposium on Youth Gun Violence Prevention was part of the FPS team’s community project Project Ceasefire, which is looking to educate and develop community action programs in our area. The group came together to address the continuing issue of gun violence, and brainstormed ideas on developing actionable strategies aimed at reducing its impact locally.
The students collectively acknowledged that despite a decline in violent crime rates within the county, many young people continue to feel unsafe. Jaidan Chirayil of Schlarman Academy emphasized, “Educating youth and younger generations about gun violence prevention is essential to keeping them out of harm’s way and reducing the likelihood of their involvement in such incidents.”
Discussions at each of the 12 tables showcased the students’ strong commitment to addressing this urgent issue, as well as their dedication to building a safer and more resilient community for future generations. Izzy Bogen of Schlarman Academy agreed, emphasizing that “It’s important to keep community safety by creating preventative actions and continuing an open discussion on these critical issues with people our age.” The next steps for the FPS team will be presenting the findings and ideas to area educators and leaders, plus coordinating activities aimed to provide area youth safe options and build better community relationships.
