[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9879]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   DO THE WRITE THING CHALLENGE 2006

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the Do the Write Thing Challenge, or DtWT, 
is a national program that gives middle school students the opportunity 
to reflect on and express themselves about youth violence in their 
communities. DtWT combines classroom discussion with a writing contest 
that focuses on personal responsibility in solving youth violence 
problems. Since it was created in 1994, more than 350,000 middle school 
students have participated in DtWT activities, and the program has 
grown to include participants from 28 different jurisdictions, 
including Detroit, MI.
  In 2005, more than 32,000 students participated in the DtWT writing 
contest. To participate, students are asked to write an essay, poem, 
play, or song that addresses the impact of violence on their life, the 
causes of youth violence, and the things that they can do to prevent 
youth violence around them. As part of their participation in the 
contest, students are also asked to make a personal commitment that 
they will put their thoughts into action by working to help stop youth 
violence in their daily lives.
  Each year, a DtWT Committee made up of community, business, and 
governmental leaders from each participating jurisdiction reviews the 
writing submissions of the students and picks two national finalists, 
one boy and one girl, from their area. I am pleased to recognize this 
year's national finalists from Detroit, Demetrius Adams and Tiffini 
Baldwin, for their outstanding work and dedication to the prevention of 
youth violence.
  Both Demetrius and Tiffini wrote about the serious effect that guns, 
gangs, and drugs can have on the lives of teenagers. Their writings 
demonstrate a deep understanding of the impact that a single act of 
violence can have on an entire community. I am impressed by the 
maturity they have shown in their work and congratulate them on being 
selected as national finalists.
  In July, Demetrius and Tiffini will join the other DtWT national 
finalists in Washington, DC, for National Recognition Week. During the 
week's activities, the national finalists will attend a recognition 
ceremony and have their work permanently placed in the Library of 
Congress. In addition, they will have the opportunity to share their 
thoughts on youth violence with Members of Congress and other 
policymakers. In the past, students have had the opportunity to meet 
with the Secretary of Education, the Attorney General, and other 
representatives from the Department of Justice.
  I know my colleagues join me in celebrating the work of all of the 
DtWT participants from around the country. I would also like to thank 
the DtWT organizers for their commitment to engaging with and educating 
children about nonviolence. Their important efforts help to increase 
awareness of the issue and facilitate the development of local 
solutions to the youth violence problem in our Nation.
  While it is important that we recognize the hard work of the DtWT 
participants and organizers, it is also important that we support their 
efforts through our actions in the Senate. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in supporting legislation that would help prevent youth violence by 
increasing the number of police officers on our streets, by increasing 
resources for school and community violence prevention programs, and by 
making it more difficult for children and criminals to acquire 
dangerous firearms.

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