On Thursday, January 30, male students from William M. Raines High School walked for peace. The walk began at the school, 3663 Raines Ave., and wrapped up at Zion Hope Missionary Church, 2803 Edgewood Avenue, W.
The walk was in response to the city's ever-increasing violence. School principal, Nongongoma Majova-Seane, decided that the time had come to address the violence that's ravishing the community when a loaded gun was found in one of the school's unlocked lockers. "It is time that we let our youth know that we know they're here, we hear their cries and that we care," said Majova-Seane.
The walk was followed by workshops held at the church. Mrs. Betty Burney, Duval County School Board Chairman and Raines alumna was the event's keynote speaker. Mrs. Burney, also the author of "If These Chains Could Talk," spoke to the students about empowerment and motivated them to make choices that will not put them at risk for failure.
Set to the tune of Marvin Gay's, What's Going On, Burney encouraged the young men in the audience to become S.O.L.D.I.E.R.S., an acronym she cleverly used to describe them as Success Oriented Leader of Duval In control, Empowered and Ready to Serve.
During the event, Majova-Seane read the names of Duval County students who recently lost their lives to senseless violence. As she read each name, she had the students stand if they knew that person. By the time she read the last name, more than 70 percent of the audience was standing. She also encouraged the students to become comrades and brothers instead of enemies and opponents.
Other prominent speakers at the event included Mia Jones, city councilwoman for District 10 and Leon Baxton, chief operating officer of communities in schools.
While the male students attended workshops at the church, female students remained at the school and attended workshops which focused on the importance of education.
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