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Spottswoods Help Reduce Violence as 336 Students Converge for Peace at Beachside

KEY WEST (321 words) – “Two years ago Kaya Lydamore said she wanted to leave a legacy at her school and that’s exactly what happened at Beachside in Key West Tuesday,” said Monroe Youth Challenge Program Director Sunny Booker.

Lydamore is a senior at Key West High School. She worked to infuse PeaceJam into the third annual MYCP 8th-Grade transition program at Key West High School. Her dedication inspired PeaceJam to also be incorporated into the transition programs at Coral Shores and Marathon Middle School.

Lydamore and Amanda Talbot, another senior, were enthused by PeaceJam at a service learning conference they attended as youth leaders with MYCP two years ago. They insisted Booker bring PeaceJam to Monroe County.

The transition program held Tuesday in Key West brought 8th-Grade students from Sugarloaf, Horace O’Bryant, and Mary Immaculate schools together for games, lunch, serious discussion on exclusion and violence, and team-building activities. This violence-prevention program was possible because the Spottswood family donated the use of the facilities at Beachside to MYCP.

Next year, when these 336 students meet again, they will be the Key West High School Class of 2013. “The first year we did this transition program we saw a reduction in fighting incidents of ninth grade students at Coral Shores where 8TP was initiated. Incidents dropped by 40%. Instead of meeting as rivals, the students feel comfortable with their peers and look up to the older students for when they transition to a new school,” Booker said.

Many activities like the inclusion/exclusion game, stereotyping labels, and human conveyor belt were brought by PeaceJam Speaker Rudy Balles from Denver, Colorado. He shared his personal story and encouraged youth to be peace makers in their own lives and hometown.

Monroe Youth Challenge Program’s mission is to build Developmental Assets and create opportunities so every child in Monroe County can feel safe, loved, and celebrated. For information contact Sunny Booker at (305) 293-1400 ext 53319, Sunny.Booker@keysschools.com, or visit http://www.monroe.k12.fl.us/mycp.