Providing safer environments for our youth is the goal for a national organization called Students Against Violence Everywhere, also known as SAVE. They held their 14th “save summit” on the campus of N.C. State University Saturday morning.
Members of SAVE said their whole purpose is to stop violence in schools and communities by engaging, encouraging, empowering and educating youth.
SAVE members said too many schools are making national headlines for violent attacks.
“It wasn’t the norm like it is today,” said SAVE co-founder Angie Bynum. “I think people are beginning to get conditioned and that’s my fear. Let’s not get conditioned. Let’s stand up on a table and say ‘no, this is not fair. This is not right.’ My heart goes out to the slayings that have taken place in the past, even the most recent one involving children but we need to start looking into some kind of intervention for children.”
That’s where SAVE comes in.
The group started in Charlotte 25-years ago after Bynum’s friend, Alex Orange, was killed trying to break up a fight. Bynum said she couldn’t let his death go unnoticed. What started off as one small school group has now blossomed into something bigger.
SAVE now has more than 2,100 chapters in 48 states and seven countries.
“It’s good to see that people actually care and that it’s actually doing good in schools and it’s a good program to be behind,” said Brady Ledbetter, co-chair of SAVE advisory board.
The group hosts workshops on bullying, peer pressure, coping skills and more.
What’s learned here could be lifesaving, but Bynum said there is still work to be done.
Marking the 25th anniversary, SAVE is kicking off a fundraising campaign aimed at raising $25,000 to support chapters and safer schools in more than 125 schools across the country.