About the Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge
About the Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge
Violence and the fear of violence are major educational, social and health problems affecting our young people in Texas and the United States. The Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge is a youth anti-violence program that is presented to seventh and eighth grade students through the public and private school systems to promote safety in schools, homes and communities.
The Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge began in Houston, Harris County and there are now eleven sites in Texas. They are Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston/Harris County, Lubbock, Odessa, San Antonio and Victoria.
The program engages students in thoughtful classroom discussions about violence and its impact on their lives; seeks their analyses of the causes and solicits their quest for solutions. The written composition portion cultivates logic, creativity and literacy. The Challenge gives the youngsters a forum in which to have their voices heard and their ideas valued. Reflection upon the causes and effects of violence inculcates personal responsibility.
Teachers are provided a lesson plan for Classroom discussions and the writing assignment. The Lesson Plan meets Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) objectives in the subjects of English/Language Arts, Social Studies and Health/PE. Students formulate their writings around the answers to three questions:
How has violence affected my life?
What are the causes of violence?
What can I do about violence?
The students then write on these issues. It is heartening that, almost unanimously, they reach the conclusion that personal responsibility and positive conduct are keys to a healthy civil society. Additionally, the program teaches children how to deal with anger, slights, bullying and other conflicts in a constructive way, without resorting to violence. Also addressed are the subjects of resisting peer pressure, avoiding illicit drug usage and seeking help for family abuse.
Recognition and acknowledgement of all participants is an integral feature of this project. Every student who submits a manuscript receives a Certificate of Recognition. Each paper is read by community volunteers who select a boy and girl with the most thought provoking writings from each school as Student Finalists. The Student Finalists, their parents/guardians, teachers, principals and superintendents are invited to a recognition celebration.
The Executive Committee Readers select, from among the Student Finalists, the top two girl and boy authors as National Finalists. These students, their parents/guardians and teachers are invited, as honored guests, to the Challenge Leadership Summit in Austin. There are three days of recognition activities. Among these are Student, Teacher and Parent Congresses that draft and approve platforms stating principles which constitute a decent Society; recommending measures to counter the culture of violence and delineating the personal responsibilities of students, parents, educators and community. These platforms give the children a forum and an audience-what we learn from the student writings is profound and provides a foundation for the development of sound public policy. The platforms are presented to dignitaries in the Chamber of the Texas House of Representatives on the Do the Write Thing Day in Texas. The students and teachers are awarded proclamations from the Governor.
The National Finalists, a parent/guardian of each student and their teachers are invited to the National Campaign to Stop Violence recognition events in Washington, D.C.
