Area students share how violence and bullying have affected them in 

Do The Write Thing Challenge

2016 Ambassadors and other Top Ten Finalists to be honored at

May 10 Awards Ceremony and Program at Convention Center

One girl’s experience with a high profile gun-related death and the devastating effect it has had on her family and a boy’s poem about how a bully can be confronted and converted into a compatriot are two moving accounts of the effects – and ideas to reduce teen violence shared by the 28,379 students from 33 Palm Beach County public middle schools participating in this year’s Do The Write Thing Challenge (DTWT).  From the thousands of participating students, Kirsten Brown, a seventh grader at Don Estridge Middle School in Boca Raton and Quinton Williams, a sixth grader at Howell L. Watkins Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens, were selected as Ambassadors from Palm Beach County.

Brown and Williams will travel to Washington. D.C. this summer to represent Palm Beach County during National DTWT Recognition Week.  They will have the opportunity to present their views and solutions to youth violence with such national leaders as Representatives Lois Frankel and Ted Deutch and other members of Congress, the U.S. Secretary of Education, the Attorney General of the United States, and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.  The week culminates in a special evening event at which the students, their parents and educators are honored.

Palm Beach County DTWT Campaign Chairman Bill Bone announced that the pair, along the other 310 “Top 10” students will be honored at a May 10 luncheon at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. All of theses will be published and catalogued in the U.S. Library of Congress. Attendance at the luncheon is by invitation only.

In addition to Brown and Williams, the 2016 finalists are:

Girls

1st Runner Up Helen Gutierrez, 8th grader at Palm Springs Community Middle School

2nd Runner Up Celina Phal, 7th grader at Loggers Run Middle School in Boca Raton

3rd Runner Up Emily Briceno, 7th grader at Conniston Community Middle School in West Palm Beach

4th Runner Up Bailey Nathan, 6th grader at Independence Middle School in Jupiter

Boys

1st Runner Up Jaydon Hood, 7th grader at Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach

2nd Runner Up Sam Kassel, 8th grader at Boca Raton Community Middle School

3rd Runner Up Christian Nakotey, 6th grader at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Riviera Beach

4th Runner Up Devin Locke, 7th grader at Western Pines Middle School in Royal Palm Beach

Local DTWT Campaign Organizer Pepe Fanjul said that the challenge is beneficial to each of the thousands of students involved as it provides a forum for the discussion of bullying and teen violence and provides a safe way for students to express their feelings about events they have experienced, while sharing ideas and solutions for reducing violence.

“When you read what they have written you can’t help but be moved by what some of them have endured, while at the same time being inspired by their courage in moving forward and their intellect in suggesting ideas and solutions that we as adults should really consider,” Fanjul said.

The 2016 Do The Write Thing Challenge is part of the National Campaign to Stop Violence. This is the tenth year Do The Write Thing Challenge has been conducted in Palm Beach County. Sponsors include Florida Crystals, The William H. Pitt Foundation, Inc., The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Trust Fund, Sue and James Patterson and the law firm of Larmoyeux & Bone Trial Lawyers.

The essays and poetry were read and evaluated by representatives from the offices of Congressman Ted Deutch, Congresswoman Lois Frankel, State Attorney Dave Aronberg, Public Defender Carey Haughwout, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw,  The Criminal Justice Commission, The School District of Palm Beach County, The West Palm Beach Mayor’s Office, and Florida Crystals corporation.

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Excerpts from the ten finalists in the 2016 Do the Write Thing Challenge Palm Beach County:

Kirsten Brown, 2016 Ambassador

7th Grade, Don Estridge High Tech Middle School in Boca Raton

A tragic incidence of violence that is in the news – the fatal shooting of her fellow church member Corey Jones at the hands of a police officer — profoundly affected Kirsten’s sense of security and has made her aware “that the decisions that I make today ultimately affect my choices tomorrow.”   Kirsten writes:  “I have witnessed close friends whose family members have been victimized.  I have witnessed how it has torn families apart.  I know that I don’t want the same for my family. It has affected the choices that I now make. I constantly find myself paying attention to my surroundings and being very select of my choices of friendships.”  Kirsten summarizes her approach with this statement:  “I can show others that it is okay to be smart and cool at the same time.  I want to be the person that can stand as an exemplary role model for those students that aren’t on the right track to look up to and say, ‘Hey, I can do the same.’ ”

Quinton Williams, 2016 Ambassador

6th grader at H.L. Watkins Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens

Born with the condition of Hydrocephalus, Quinton endured bullying and unwelcome curiosity about his condition as a little boy. But when it came to writing his entry for the Do The Write Thing Challenge, he chose to write a poem, taking on the persona of a friend who had endured bullying but confronted the bully and disarmed him, turning him into a friend.  A portion of his poem reads:  “Maybe I can help, you should give it a chance, the bully stared back with an empty glance.  Because you have more friends than I, he said with a subtle reply. Then I knew there was hope for the end of this violence!”  In Quinton’s poem, the bully’s reply when given the chance to explain his behavior to his victim, is:  “I’m sorry I bullied you, I shouldn’t have intended to.  I hope we could put this to an end and come together and be the best of friends.”  His advice to his peers is:  “You don’t have to be friends with everybody, but you do have to be friend to everybody.”

Helen Gutierrez – 1st Runner Up – Girl

8th Grade, Palm Springs Middle School

Although not a direct victim of bullying or teen violence, Helen shares how the violence she sees in society and at school has affected her and inspires her to do her part to stop it. “Realizing the grim reality of youth violence has deeply affected me,” she writes.  “Seeing the violence among youths causes me to live in fear of the future of our society and makes me feel dejected.  Viewing stories on the news about gun violence and school shootings causes me to worry about the possibility that something so abysmal could happen in my school or in my neighborhood.”  Helen wants to make a difference: “It is important to set an example by refraining from committing acts of violence and others will follow,“ she writes. She also suggestions starting “a group with people who have been victims of violent actions or people who simply yearn to stifle the madness.” Helen also suggests showing compassion: “We can be amicable to the adolescents who commit violence in order to kill the hate that they feel with kindness. “

Jaydon Hood – 1st Runner Up – Boy

7th Grade, Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach

Jaydon’s family suffered the death of his cousin from gunfire on a Miami area playground where he and three others was gunned down by a gang.  He writes: “That great destructive force changed my family forever. It didn’t just take away a high school football playing senior, it also opened my eyes to the fact that I did not want to be a part of the ugliness of violence.”  Jaydon said he has been taught by his mother that “having a violent personality does not just happen overnight….The traits of the parent become the tendencies of the child.  It starts with families joining together to build each other up and being involved in things that are positive. …Doing the right thing means living beyond these statistics and challenging yourself to do more than your environment (might predict).  I learned that we all have choices and these choices include choosing to be better than our parents and grandparents or even brothers, sisters and cousins.”

Celina Phal – 2nd Runner Up – Girl

7th Grade, Loggers Run Middle School in Boca Raton

Celina is the child of Cambodia immigrants who were brutalized by the Khmer Rouge before escaping their native land to come to America.  Her father suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his war and refugee experience as a young child.  Her mother, she writes, “explains her experience with the war in great detail, and makes sure that my sisters and I take absolutely nothing for granted.”      Celina has become an advocate for non-violence.  “I can reduce violence by promoting the use of settling arguments with words and not fists,” she writes.  “This way, it will not start a physical feud.” She continues:  “Promote anti-violence.  Be mature with your arguments. Stick with people you trust and if you ever witness a crime, report it.  Sometimes, being quiet can make the world more violent.”

Sam Kassel – 2nd Runner Up – Boy

8th Grade, Boca Raton Middle School

Sam calls violence “the epidemic that never sleeps.”  He says he has been bullied for his various disabilities his whole life.  “I have been laughed at, rejected, excluded and treated as less than others all of my life.  People have shaped me into something I never wanted t become.  I am a spiky shell of the happy, loving, innocent, carefree kid I used to be.  Bullies broke me.”  Sam said it will take everyone’s efforts to reduce bullying and youth violence.  “I cannot do anything to stop youth violence.  Not alone.  I need everyone.  Hear my story.  I cannot stand to have any more children be depressed, or for me to see another fight, or find anymore fake Instagram pages about myself or others.  I feel as if my story can empower everyone to work to make sure that nobody else ends up like me. I am a young boy with a voice. I beg you to carry this voice. “

Emily Briceno – 3rd Runner Up – Girl

7th Grade, Conniston Middle School in West Palm Beach

Two young men wearing ski masks, with a gun, rope, bags and pillow cases burst into Emily’s home and robbed her family in front of her eyes.  While not physically harmed, Emily was traumatized by this violent crime.  “Now I am afraid to be alone,” she writes. “I cry for no reason and I get sad more often.  I have lower self-esteem and feel I must have done something to bring on this violence or why couldn’t I stop it?…I am part of the statistics of youth violence”  But the experience has not defeated Emily.  Instead she ”has a strong desire to help others.”  “I want to make my community a better place to live,” she writes.  “I want to help others.”

Christian Nakotey – 3rd Runner UP – Boy

6th Grade, John F. Kennedy Middle School in Riviera Beach

“My approach to solving youth violence is to focus on family values and structure,” writes Christian.  “No one is born to be a violent person but the circumstances and the environment in which people find themselves shapes their lives positively or otherwise. “  Christian writes that he is “grateful to my parents for creating a violence-free environment for my siblings and I.  Dad and Mom always remind us before we leave for school never to fight.  Fighting bullying with physicality is never the right approach. “  He also shares that “with the increased rate of public violence and gun crime, my approach is to be alert at all times and play dead if I ever find myself in a bad situation.  I am too young to have this mindset but this is the world we are living in now.”

Bailey Nathan – 4th Runner Up – Girl

6th Grade, Independence Middle School in Jupiter

Violence in school sports forced Bailey to stop playing on her teen basketball team. ”Violence from fellow players can cause a person to feel fear, intimidation and self-doubt,” she writes.  “This can cause permanent damage to a player’s self-worth or way of thinking about themselves or others.”  Bailey urges those experiencing some type of bullying or violence to realize that “the bad times will end.” “Everyone can persevere through hardship,” she continues.  “Sometimes you can feel small, unimportant and not self assured…but people must always know that everyone can make a difference, no matter how big or small  they feel.”  “Take action,” she urges her fellow teens as well adults.  “Don’t just be a bystander.  Communicate with the bully and show them the compassion that they may be missing from their life.”

Devin Locke – 4th Runner Up – Boy

7th Grade, Western Pines Middle School in Royal Palm Beach

Hoping to attend West Point Military Academy and attend medical school through the military, Devin experienced bullying when he decided to go to school with his hair dyed pink in support of his aunt who was battling breast cancer.  Although it bothered him, he writes that his parents’ counsel helped him understand the bullying and overcome the hurt it caused.  “My parents taught me that the cause of youth violence is because the bully doesn’t feel good about themselves and takes it out on other people.  Maybe they have been neglected, abused or bullied.”  This insight led Devin to suggest a few ways that bullying can be effectively addressed, including a Bully Drop Box at each school where bullying can be anonymously reported to officials as well as peer counseling to discuss situations involving bullying or violence.  “If just one person sticks up for you, the bully may stop,” he concludes.