Anti-Gun Violence After-School Program Kicks Off at Boston Middle Schools

BOSTON, MA – The state Attorney General, a local nonprofit and a university joined forces Monday to introduce a new program that strives to prevent and reduce youth gun violence by working with middle schoolers.

The after-school program begins with six Boston middle schools.

Attorney General Maura Healey hosted a kickoff for the program Monday at the Martin Luther King Junior K-8 School in Boston.

According to a press release, the AG’s Office provided $45,000 in grant funding to launch the “Got Game” Youth Anti-Violence Partnership.

The 12-week after-school program will provide 120 students from six Boston middle schools an intensive curriculum focused on gun violence prevention. The curriculum – designed by UMass Boston in partnership with the AG’s Office and the 3Point Foundation – incorporates writing, civic engagement and basketball to reinforce classroom learning and deter students from engaging in violent behavior outside of school.

“Gun violence is a public health problem that impacts some of our most vulnerable communities, and young people are especially at risk,” Healey said in the press release. “We are excited to partner with the 3Point Foundation and UMass to launch this new initiative because we know that in order to end gun violence in our communities we need to break the cycle of violence before it starts.”

According to that release, the “Got Game” curriculum will promote problem solving, teamwork, and self-confidence to empower students to promote anti-gun violence practices and serve as agents of change in their own communities. Students will learn to identify different types of violence and what can be done to prevent violence in their own family, school and community. Each class will be taught by a teacher from the participating school and two UMass Boston undergraduate students.

The six middle schools that will be part of the pilot program include:

· Sarah Greenwood K-8 School, Dorchester

· Martin Luther King Jr K-8 School, Dorchester

· Lee K-8 School, Dorchester

· Davis Leadership Academy, Dorchester

· Match Charter Public School, Jamaica Plain

· Epiphany School, Dorchester

Photo via Maura Healey Twitter