Youth violence is common.

Thousands of young people ages 10 to 24 experience youth violence every day whether its fighting, bullying, threats with weapons, gang-related violence or other forms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What can be done?

The Utah State Board of Education Prevention and Student Services Team and Student Support gave seventh and eighth graders that challenge—to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and to communicate in writing what they think should be done to change the culture of violence. 

The challenge gives students the opportunity to break the cycle of violence in their communities.

The essay, poem, play or song needed to address three questions: How has youth violence affected my life? What are the causes of youth violence? What can I do about youth violence? 

Summit Academy eighth-grader Sam Rye shared his experience being bullied while classmate Hannah Qureshi wrote about friends’ depression and suicide attempts. Both Sam and Hannah were recently honored by state superintendent Sydnie Dickson as the “Do the Write Thing!” national runner-up and finalist, respectively.

They both received funds for their My529 Education Saving Accounts to put toward further educational study. Sam wants to be a pilot—“I want to see the entire world”—and Hannah wants to either be a physical therapist or a Formula One driver—“My dad takes me go karting so basically go karting on steroids; it’s really cool to go fast.”

Being amongst the top in the state and for Sam, in the nation, was surprising to both of them.

“It’s amazing and awesome that I won money for college,” Sam said before learning he was the national runner-up. 

Sam shared his story about attending a large middle school with three friends “who I thought were going to be my greatest friends,” he said. “But the people I thought were my friends wouldn’t help me. The bullies were football players in a big football community. It was a big group who needed to bully other people to act like they were cool. My two friends who I trusted the most ignored it instead of being there for me. And then one of them even started joining in with bullying me.”

During sixth grade, he talked to his parents and to the school counselor, but nothing seemed to change.

“Every morning when I woke up, I was sad and unhappy. I had to go to school knowing I was going to be bullied that same day,” he wrote in his essay.

In seventh grade, after being put in a choke hold by another student, he and his parents knew a change of schools was for the best. Two of his “friends” sent him hateful texts when he departed, so he left them behind as well.

“Youth violence affected my social and mental health,” he said. “Coming to Summit has been amazing. I’ve been able to find friends who will always be there for me when I need it. This has been better community for me, I can just put myself out there more. I’ve tried new things I never would have had at the old school. I’m in student council, Hope Squad, and I’m training for sports teams.”

When Sam wrote his experiences, he realized, “how crazy the situation was. It also helped to share my personal experiences with other people who are going through it and know it is possible to make it through and to find people who will be there for you.”

Hannah also knows the importance of friendship.

“At my old school, lots of my friends were really depressed and had anxiety and they still are,” she said. “My best friend went to mental hospital a few times after she attempted suicide by overdosing on her pills. Another girl there goes to therapy now. Life is stressful. There’s a lot of people struggling. It’s common with teenagers.”

Hannah made herself available for her friends.

“Whenever they needed, I was there to listen to them and talk to them, and I help them through stuff,” she said.

In her essay, she wrote she could refer the person to a school counselor or a trusted adult. She also can be kind to them. She urged students to take personal responsibilities for their actions, make a commitment not to participate in violence, set positive goals for themselves and be positive role models.

“You cannot show up to every fight you’re invited to watch or participate in,” she wrote. “If you want to, you can promote faith in God and moral values, find your happy place and get involved in community service. These things can calm you down and/or help others in what they’re struggling with.”

As the eighth-grade health teacher, Kim Arminen covers a range of topics in the curriculum.

“There’s a lot of specific health requirements that help improve kids’ mental health, their communication skills and how to take care of themselves,” she said. “We cover aspects from sex ed to mental health to social, physical and emotional health to substance abuse. I give them the tools to use so they can make better choices or influence people to make better choices.”

Arminen also is the school’s Hope Squad adviser for about 30 members.

“We learn in Hope Squad QPR—question, persuade, refer. We teach students to be the eyes and ears for their friends and to have trusted adults as their support systems. We urge everyone to download the SafeUT app on their phones and give students the tools and resources so they’re more aware and less afraid to talk about difficult subjects and real struggles kids have,” she said. “Hopefully, we’re helping one kid at a time.”

This is the third year Summit Academy students have participated in Do the Write Thing! Previously, the school has had four other state finalists. This year, 75 Summit Academy students submitted essays.

“The contest focuses on them taking personal responsibility in the prevention of youth violence. They don’t just write how it’s affected them; they need to think what the causes of it are, and what they can do about it. I love that they can become part of the solution. A lot of them drew the same conclusion; they can be kind,” Arminen said. “A lot of kids struggle, and nobody knows. They’re smiling in the hall, but they may have something going on that they’re not talking about and that breaks my heart. When they write it down, they get to process. That helps to heal.” λ