Do the Write Thing
 | |
| Founded | 1994 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Focus | Violence reduction |
| Location |
|
| Website | http://www.dtwt.org/ |
The Do the Write Thing Challenge (or DtWT) is a writing program for middle-school students organized by the U.S. National Campaign to Stop Violence.[1][2][3] Intended to reduce youth violence, the Do the Write Thing Essay Challenge Program began in 1994 as a local program in Washington, D.C. and expanded in 1996 to other cities.[4][5][6] According to Dr. Hassan Al-Ebraheem, founder and chairman of the Kuwait-America Foundation, the program has reached over 1.6 million children (as of July 2013) across the country since its foundation.[7]
Aimed at middle school students, one of the program's primary objectives is to motivate students to make a personal commitment, in writing, to help prevent and reduce youth violence in their home, school, and communities.[8][9][10] The students are then asked to address these three questions in an essay for submission:[11][12]
- How has youth violence and drugs affected my life?
- What are the causes of youth violence?
- What can I do about youth violence?
After this, a panel, of usually volunteers or school staff, reads the essays and chooses "school finalists".[4][10][13] These “school finalists” continue on to a broader selection that is citywide.[2][3][10][13][14] Each year, two finalists from each city—one boy and one girl—along with their teacher and parent, are honored at a national recognition ceremony in Washington, DC.[12][15] While in Washington, DC, the DTWT National Ambassadors visit the United States Library of Congress, The United States Supreme Court, the United States Capitol and the Kuwait Embassy.[16][17] Their essays are published in one volume, which is then presented to the Library of Congress.[4][10][18]
The Challenge is the idea of Daniel Q. Callister, a Washington lawyer who says its purpose is four-fold: to provide children who have experienced or seen violence with a cathartic experience; to give them motivation to change their behavior; to be an education experience for teachers and the community; and to get adults to help solve the problem.[1][4]
Sponsors of "Do the Write Thing" include:
- Kuwait America Foundation
- Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science
- Annenberg Foundation
- Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office in Texas
- Marriott International
- Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
- Southwest Airlines
- Athletes for Hope
- America’s Promise Alliance
- Communities in Schools
- Greater Washington Urban League, Inc.
- Harlem Globetrotters
- National Counsel of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
- United States National Guard
References
- ^ a b "You're Never Too Young To Do The Write Thing". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "LAWYER HELPS STUDENTS 'DO THE WRITE THING'". Illinois Lawyer Finder. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "Help Stop School and Youth Violence – Do the Write Thing". Chicago Now. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "DO THE WRITE THING CHALLENGE PROGRAM". GPO. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "2012 'Do the Write Thing' finalists". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Essays by 'Do the Write Thing' finalists explore issue of youth violence". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Kuwait-America body honors US youth at 17th annual "Do the Write Thing" gala". Kuwait News Agency. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Do The Write Thing". CharMeck.org. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Do The Write Thing Challenge". The School District of Palm Beach County. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c d ""Do the Write Thing" - The National Campaign to Stop Violence". The REACH Institute. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Do the Write Thing Challenge". Kuwait-America Foundation. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "Do The Write Thing". WTTW Chicago Tonight. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "A Challenge to Do the Write Thing". Utah Board of Juvenile Justice. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Doing the 'write thing'". My FOX Memphis. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS DO THE WRITE". Harlem Globetrotters. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "D.A. Announces Winners of the Seventh Annual "Do The Write Thing Challenge"". Shelby County District Attorney. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Fort Herriman students recognized for the write thing". South Valley Journal. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
- ^ "Do the Write Thing". Retrieved December 26, 2013.