WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE DO THE WRITE THING CHALLENGE?

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The choices students make at the highly impressionable middle school level can impact not only the rest of their lives, but the lives of others. Do the Write Thing’s goal is to encourage students, through the writing of their essays, to examine how they feel violence affects their lives, why it happens and what they think can be done about it. Developing personal responsibility and empathy are results of this program. 1

Violence comes in various forms and can be experienced on many levels: from verbal and physical bullying, violence in the home or community, to exposure via television, social media and video games. Do the Write Thing researchshows this age group transitioning into adolescence is most vulnerable to these influences; they suffer anxiety and want to express their concerns.

The Do the Write Thing Texas Challenge is designed to be compatible with state curriculum requirements. Rather than it being something in addition to an already busy curriculum, the Challenge satisfies a number of objectives from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum in English/Language Arts and Social Studies, and complements character building, anti-bullying/anti-domestic violence and drug abuse prevention programs.

Many teachers find Do the Write Thing useful as a writing assignment as well as a learning tool.

1Journal of Educational Research and Practice:2016 Experiences of Middle-Level Students, Teachers, and Parents in the

Do the Write Thing Violence Prevention Program

o Instructions for Teacherso Teacher Surveyo Student information/Parental Consent Cover Sheeto Do the Write Thing Important Dates Calendaro Do the Write Thing Testimonials and

Supporting Information

IN THIS PACKET YOU’LL FIND:

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Entries will be judged on the basis of content, originality, and the most thoughtprovoking and responsiveness to these three questions:

o HOW HAS VIOLENCE AFFECTED MY LIFE?o WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF VIOLENCE?o WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT VIOLENCE?

STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT THEIR WRITING ALONG WITH THE SIGNED STUDENT/PARENT CONSENT FORM

• ALL 6th, 7th and 8th grade student writers will receive a certificate of recognition for participating.

• Please submit all student writings so a certificate of recognition may be sent to the student.

• Entries that do not include a student or parental signature will receive a certificate of recognition, however, they will not be advanced in the judging process.

• Student name on essay is acceptable, but no school name please.

• Entries should be submitted in the form that they are received from the student writer.• Editing for content, grammar, or spelling by someone other than the student is not

permitted. Essays are judged on content alone.

• No fictional writing in essays.

• Essays can be either handwritten or typed, and must be single-sided in blue or black ink only.

• Essays written in pencil or double-sided will not be advanced in the judging process, but will receive a certificate of recognition.

Your school must submit a minimum of 25 papers to qualify for a school finalist.

Essays May Be Submitted By Mail Or In PersonOCTOBER 3, 2017 – JANUARY 12, 2018

(offices closed December 25, 26, 29)

1001 PRESTON 410DHOUSTON TEXAS

713-274-7070

______________________________________________________________________________________Dr._ Mr._Ms._ TEACHER’S FIRST NAME: (please print) LAST NAME: (please print)

School Email Address:__________________________ School Phone Number: _______________________

Name of School:_________________________________________________________________________

Address of School:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________City: Zip

______________________________________________________________________________________

Dr._ Mr._Ms._.__ PRINCIPAL’S FIRST NAME: (please print) LAST NAME: (please print)

Teacher’s Phone:_________________________ Teacher’s Email:__________________________________

Questions 1 and 2 (required)

1. Approximate number of your students submitting writings for the Challenge.__________

2. Did you have a classroom discussion about violence before your students prepared their writings for the Challenge?

3. (yes) (no)

Number of your students who participated (were present) for the discussion.

1-50 51-100 101-150 151-200 201-250 251-300 301-350 over 351

3. Did you use any of the TEKS correlated scenarios provided with the teacher packet? (yes) (no)

4. Comments

Optional questions:

5. What (in your opinion) were the top three causes of violence identified by your students?

6. What (in your opinion) were the top three solutions for violence identified by your students?

2017-2018 TEACHER SURVEYPLEASE ATTACH COMPLETED SURVEY WITH YOUR ESSAY SUBMISSIONS

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Please PRINT Legibly in Black/Blue Ink

Thank you for participating in the 2017 - 2018 “Do the Write Thing Challenge.” To have your entry considered for selection as a Student National Ambassador, BOTH you and a parent or

guardian must complete this Cover Sheet and sign the Student and Parent/Guardian Consent Statement below.

First Name: _______________________________Last Name: _________________________________

Phone Number: ( ) _________ -_____________ Grade ________ Male_____ Female_____

Home Address: ______________________________________________________________________

School______________________________________________________________________________

District_____________________________________________________________________________

Teacher’s Full Name: _________________________________________________________________

Teacher’s Phone Number: ( ) _________ - _____________

STUDENT AND PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT STATEMENT“Do the Write Thing Challenge- Houston/Harris County” will publish selected students writings and quotations in a book and in a discussion paper on youth violence. Before publishing your writing,

DtWTX requires your written consent and the written consent of a parent or guardian. If you and your parent or guardian agree to permit the DtWTX to publish your writing, please sign the following

statement: We agree to give ownership of the attached student writing to Do the Write Thing Texas so that it can be considered for recognition and published. Do the Write Thing Texas may further disclose the

writing to the media and other parties as part of their national program.

____________________________________ _______________________________________Student’s Signature Parent’s Signature

__________________________________ ______________________________________Student’s Email Address Parents’ Email Address

visit us online

www.dtwt.org

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Important Dates to Remember in 2017- 2018 for the

Do The Write Thing Challenge

It’s Time to Take The Challenge!

OCTOBER 3, 2017 – JANUARY 12, 2018 –Essays Submitted By Mail Or In Person

(offices closed December 25, 26, 29)

1001 PRESTON 410D

HOUSTON TEXAS

713-274-7070

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BULLYING/VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH

MARCH 2018 – School Finalists Announced

APRIL 2018 – National Finalists Announced

MAY 2018 – School Finalists Recognition Ceremony, Nrg Park

JULY 2018 –National Recognition Ceremony, Washington D.C.

All forms and rules are also available on www.dtwtx.org under the Houston tab

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Why Do More And More People Support Do The Write Thing?

PARENTS SUPPORT DO THE WRITE THING

…because they see the benefit to their children

STUDENTS SUPPORT DO THE WRITE THING

…because of how it benefits their outlook

COMMUNITY LEADERS SUPPORT DO THE WRITE THING

…because they recognize its value to the future of our youth

With a pen my thoughts were set free onto the paper. It was a way of expressing my self in a nonviolent way. So once I wrote my essay about preventing violence I realized what I was doing. In my "Do The Write Thing" essay, I wrote that many people hold in anger not knowing how to express it leading to fights. That's exactly what I was doing before I found what I used to express my anger. So thank you once again for creating the Do the Write Thing Challenge, because of this I've learned what kept my anger from getting unstable.

“This experience has been a life changing event for Miguel. This program has been a very positive experience. We have broadcasted and promoted the DTWT at Miguel’s school I think it’s a very important program and everyone should participate. “

- Bobby Lomas, Do the Write Thing-Texas parent

- Jerry LeVias , Harris County Protective Services Chairmanand former AFL All-Star and SWC All-American

- Damir Ljuboja, 2005 Do the Write Thing Finalist and Harvard Medical School Class of 2018

- Daniel Ceron, 2017 National Finalist Key Middle School, HISD

“Do The Write Thing” is a unique opportunity for adolescents to express their experiences with bullying and offer suggestions as to what actions could have improved their situation. Bullying and youth violence in our schools and neighborhoods is a problem that needs to be addressed. The classroom discussions provide a safe platform for developing empathy for another human being. Do the Write Thing is a program that would benefit students of all levels, elementary through high school.”

“The Do the Write Thing Challenge was pivotal to my development as a young adult. I was provided with a platform to express my personal experiences with violence. DTWT helped me understand how violence impacts us all and that it is possible to turn a difficult part of my life into a source of strength. This expression of my personal story helped me develop leadership qualities, as well as the capacity and mindfulness to appreciate the hardships of others and understand how these experiences have framed their lives. The people I met through DTWT are incredible individuals with unique stories who have helped me understand violence from many perspectives.”

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