Honoring Youth Writing to End Gun Violence

DTWT Group
Students from Johnson Middle School attending the "Do the Write Thing" Recognition Ceremony.

 

Michelle Marshall
Michelle Marshall, one of the District's two National Ambassadors for "Do the Write Thing Challenge," reading her essay.

Last year’s massive turnout for the national and local March for Our Lives rallies, along with several recent local youth forums, clearly demonstrate that young people are demanding an end to violence and adults need to listen. That’s why, on April 23, AG Karl Racine and the Office of the Attorney General held a special event to honor and hear from D.C. kids who participated in the “Do the Write Thing Challenge,” a national essay contest focused on ending youth violence.

At the event, AG Racine announced the middle school students chosen to represent D.C. at the national level. The two winning students read excerpts of powerful essays. Other students participated in a panel discussion about how violence affects their lives and shared ideas about what needs to be done to stop it. The audience included members of the D.C. Council and the School Board, community leaders, teachers, school administrators, and students and their families.

Aliyah Harrison
Aliyah Harrison, one of the District's two National Ambassadors for the "Do the Write Thing Challenge," reading her essay.

Read the Winning Essays
Read Aliyah Harrison’s award-winning essay is here. 

Read Michelle Marshall’s award-winning essay here.

OAG thanks students and staff at all of the schools and organizations that participated in the 2019 Do the Write Thing Challenge: the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington; Capitol Hill Montessori School, DC Scholars PCS; Friendship Southeast Middle PCS; Howard University Middle School PCS; Johnson Middle School; MacFarland Middle School; Washington School for Girls; West Education Campus.