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Orie: Convention Highlights Youth Involvement of
Violence Prevention and Intervention
HARRISBURG -- Students
from more than 35 schools will be addressing the serious issues facing their
generation at this year’s S.T.O.P. convention, according to Senator Jane Orie
(R-40). The convention will be held on Tuesday, November 9, 2004 at the North
Way Christian Community, 12121 Perry Highway, Wexford, PA 15090.
Students Together Organizing Prevention (S.T.O.P.)
is a peer-to-peer violence prevention and intervention program which focuses on
serious issues confronting today’s students such as school violence, drugs,
verbal and physical abuse, bullying, sexual harassment, rape, and the dangers of
drinking.
“S.T.O.P. is an incredibly successful program,” said
Orie. “Its effectiveness stems from the use of peer-to-peer counseling versus
adult-to-youth counseling.”
At the convention, students from different schools
will present their message to their peers through skits addressing the concerns
of students. Following each skit, students will have a chance to discuss what
they have learned.
This year’s S.T.O.P convention will also have many
special guests, according to Orie.
One of these guests is Charlie Aeschliman, a 10-year
veteran of the Elite Navy SEALS. He was a top military instructor training
hundreds of troops in the Special Forces. He also has been crowned the NIKE
National Festival Basketball Handling Champion and is considered to be one of
the best basketball handlers in the world. He has been featured on ESPN and has
entertained thousands under his alter-ego “Secret Agent J.A.M.”
Another guest, Deborah A. Price, is the Deputy Under
Secretary of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools and has been a strong
advocate of protecting youth. Price also worked for two different Senators, as
the Executive Director of the Secretary’s Commission on Opportunity in
Athletics, Adviser to the Deputy Secretary, and as Chief of Staff of the Office
of Federal Student Aid (FSA).
School districts that would like to participate in
the 2005 S.T.O.P. Task Force or the 2005 Convention, should contact Senator Orie
at (412) 630-9466 or via e-mail at
jorie@pasen.gov.
For
interviews concerning the S.T.O.P. program, please speak with Senator Orie,
Richard Garland, Dr. Donald Lee, or Dean Walters. For more information, please
contact Jamie Pavlot at 1-412-630-9466.
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