ABOUT S.O.S.
Our Story
Violence in schools is a serious issue that can cause physical, emotional, and psychological harm to students and staff. Factors such as bullying, cyberbullying, school shootings, and gang activity can contribute to violence in schools.
The consequences of violence can range from injury and death to a negative impact on academic performance, attendance, and overall school culture. Recognizing the harmful effects of violence in schools, some people may start a violence prevention program to create a safer and healthier school environment for everyone.
A violence prevention program typically involves providing education, resources, and support to students, teachers, and parents to promote positive behavior, conflict resolution, and communication. The program may also include measures such as security protocols, crisis management plans, and community involvement to address violence in and around schools.
Violence and aggression in schools have become a growing concern in recent years. School shootings, bullying, and other forms of violence have caused widespread fear and anxiety, affecting the safety and well-being of students, teachers, and parents. I started a violence prevention program for schools because I believe that every child should have access to a safe and supportive learning environment.
Overall, a violence prevention program for schools is a proactive approach to reducing the risk of violence and promoting a positive school climate.
By providing students with the tools they need to identify, prevent, and report violence, we can create a culture of kindness and respect in our schools. Through education, awareness campaigns, and community partnerships, we can work together to prevent violence and promote positive behaviors, creating a brighter future for our students and our communities.
Cheeko's Story
Cheeko Wells, Executive Director & Founder of School Outside Support grew up in the inner city of San Francisco where violence was an everyday occurrence on the streets. He witnessed too many of his friends and family members being gravely affected or losing their lives in gang-related or other violent incidents. Cheeko knew he had to do something to prevent young people from falling into the same traps and dangers he faced daily.
After Cheeko graduated from high school, with plans of attending college on an athletic scholarship, Cheeko chose a life of fast money instead, which led to his being incarcerated at one point and time. Still Cheeko desired to give back to his community in any way possible; to write his wrongs. He noticed that many of the kids he worked with lacked proper guidance and had no one to look up to. Cheeko became more determined to make a positive change in the lives of inner-city children.
As Cheeko continued to work with young people, he recognized that the school system played a crucial role in shaping their futures. He witnessed how easily students could be drawn into violence and gang activity, especially if they were from vulnerable backgrounds. Cheeko knew he had to act fast and create a violence prevention program within the school system.
Cheeko created an innovative program in S.O.S. that helps students develop leadership skills, build self-confidence, and cope with difficult situations to include conflict resolution. His program focuses on empowering students to deal with conflict in a nonviolent way and providing them with tools to avoid and resist gang activity. School Outside Supports program is a roaring success; his students are motivated, responsible, and more willing to help others.
S.O.S. has become popular within the school system, and other schools want to know how he's implemented his services. S.O.S. has helped many students in the inner city stay on track and avoid falling into dangerous and violent situations. It has allowed them to gain the confidence needed to succeed in life and become leaders in their communities.
Cheeko's experiences growing up in the inner city inspired him to create something that would make a real difference. By establishing his program, he's instilled hope in those who needed it the most. Cheeko has become an inspiration for young people and his journey shows that with the right mindset and drive, anything is possible, even ending violence from communities who have been tossed into its many challenges and heartaches.
A Teacher's Story
ATTENTION ALL TEACHERS AND PARENTS
This is an article that needs to be repeated:
Every Friday afternoon Chase’s teacher asks her students to take out a piece of paper and write down the names of four children with whom they’d like to sit the following week. The children know that these requests may or may not be honored. She also asks the students to nominate one student whom they believe has been an exceptional classroom citizen that week. All ballots are privately submitted to her.
And every single Friday afternoon, after the students go home, Chase’s teacher takes out those slips of paper, places them in front of her and studies them. She looks for patterns.
Who is not getting requested by anyone else?
Who doesn’t even know who to request?
Who never gets noticed enough to be nominated?
Who had a million friends last week and none this week?
You see, Chase’s teacher is not looking for a new seating chart or “exceptional citizens.” Chase’s teacher is looking for lonely children. She’s looking for children who are struggling to connect with other children. She’s identifying the little ones who are falling through the cracks of the class’s social life. She is discovering whose gifts are going unnoticed by their peers. And she’s pinning down- right away- who’s being bullied and who is doing the bullying.
As a teacher, parent, and lover of all children – I think that this is the most brilliant Love Ninja strategy I have ever encountered. It’s like taking an X-ray of a classroom to see beneath the surface of things and into the hearts of students. It is like mining for gold – the gold being those little ones who need a little help – who need adults to step in and TEACH them how to make friends, how to ask others to play, how to join a group, or how to share their gifts with others. And it’s a bully deterrent because every teacher knows that bullying usually happens outside of her eyeshot – and that often kids being bullied are too intimidated to share. But as she said – the truth comes out on those safe, private, little sheets of paper.
As Chase’s teacher explained this simple, ingenious idea – I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. “How long have you been using this system?” I said.
Ever since Columbine, she said. Every single Friday afternoon since Columbine.
Good Lord.
This brilliant woman watched Columbine knowing that ALL VIOLENCE BEGINS WITH DISCONNECTION. All outward violence begins as inner loneliness. She watched that tragedy KNOWING that children who aren’t being noticed will eventually resort to being noticed by any means necessary.
And so she decided to start fighting violence early and often, and with the world within her reach. What Chase’s teacher is doing when she sits in her empty classroom studying those lists written with shaky 11 year old hands - is SAVING LIVES. I am convinced of it. She is saving lives.
And what this mathematician has learned while using this system is something she really already knew: that everything – even love, even belonging – has a pattern to it. And she finds those patterns through those lists – she breaks the codes of disconnection. And then she gets lonely kids the help they need. It’s math to her. It’s MATH.
All is love- even math. Amazing.
Chase’s teacher retires this year – after decades of saving lives. What a way to spend a life: looking for patterns of love and loneliness. Stepping in, every single day- and altering the trajectory of our world.
TEACH ON, WARRIORS. You are the first responders, the front line, the disconnection detectives, and the best and ONLY hope we’ve got for a better world. What you do in those classrooms when no one is watching- it’s our best hope to save more children.
AT RISK YOUTH
At-risk youth refers to teenagers and young adults who are more likely to experience negative life outcomes due to their personal circumstances. These circumstances may include poverty, unstable family backgrounds, poor education, mental health issues, drug addiction, and involvement in criminal activities.
At-risk youth are more vulnerable to social and economic disadvantage and often experience limited access to resources such as education, employment, and healthcare. They face a higher risk of dropping out of school, becoming involved in criminal activity, and engaging in high-risk behaviors such as substance abuse.
Those who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience food insecurity, inadequate housing, and limited access to quality healthcare. They may be more susceptible to chronic illnesses and developmental delays than their more affluent peers.
In addition, youth with mental health or substance abuse disorders may struggle with accessing affordable and effective treatment, leading to a higher risk of long-term negative outcomes.
It is important to note that at-risk youth come from all demographics and backgrounds. However, certain factors such as ethnicity, race, and geography make some groups more vulnerable than others. For example, youth from African American and Hispanic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by poverty and unemployment, making them more likely to be classed as at-risk.
Early intervention is critical in aiding at-risk youth. By providing access to resources such as counseling, education, and job training, municipalities can improve the outcomes for this group in the long term. Without effective intervention, the negative consequences of societal and personal circumstances may persist and can lead to increased societal costs over the youths' lifetime.
In conclusion, at-risk youth are vulnerable to negative life outcomes due to their adverse personal circumstances and experiences. Multiple factors may contribute to their at-risk status, and early intervention is critical to improving their long-term life outcomes. Assertive and appropriate measures can provide the necessary support to help at-risk youth overcome their obstacles and live positive and successful lives.