Chicago Aldermen Urge Youth to Compete for Non-Violence: Submit Entry to the Violence Stops Here Con

Sept. 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Aldermen Toni Foulkes (Englewood), Rod Saywer (Chatham), and Patricia Dowell (Grand Boulevard) want area youth to submit their Violence Stops Here contest entries before the September 28th midnight deadline.

The Violence Stops Here contest gives each community a chance to vote online for the top ten finalists who will compete for a $2,000 cash scholarship during the live showcases in October at Lindblom, Phillips, and Simeon high schools.  The contest deadline has been extended from September 15th to September 28th to give more youth a chance to submit entries.

6th Ward Alderman Roderick T. Sawyer, “We need youth to get involved in the Violence Stops Here contest.  It sparks creative solutions to pressing problem of violence and gets us all involved in the process.”  

The Violence Stops Here contest began June 15th as a way of getting youth to think about and expressing ways of ending violence in their neighborhoods.  Chicago Public School students ages 13 – 19 from these areas can send a short video from their cell phones or pc to ViolenceStopsHere.com to enter the contest.  The entries are voted on by friends and family to determine the top ten to compete in the three rounds of competition during upcoming live showcases. Two runners up will also receive $750 and 250 cash scholarships.

15th Ward Alderman Toni Foulkes, “The Violence Stop Here Contest is an excellent way for our children to express their views about our community. After all it is their every day reality (on the streets and in the school, etc). Adults can only imagine it. It is only our hypothesis, so who is better to tell the story than our children?”

The Violence Stops Here performance showcases and competition will be hosted by Chicago artists Justflo & Uneq’ka (currently starring as the Scarecrow in The Wiz: Chicago Style) and take place October 19th, 21st, and 27th at Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Phillips Academy, and Simeon Career Academy.

Violence Stops Here is a New Media for Community Development campaign  developed by the 51st Street Business Association, Alexis-Bivens, ltd, HOYCE Youth Center and XtraMedium Communications LLC

Contest Rules and Details are available at www.ViolenceStopsHere.com