Buckeye Reporter

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost expressed admiration for a group of ten middle-school students from Youngstown for their exceptional essays proposing solutions to community violence. These essays were part of the Youngstown City School District's participation in the Do the Write Thing program, an initiative encouraging young people to address violence through writing.

Addressing the students via video, Yost commended their efforts, saying, “It is clear you’re making waves – keep pushing forward and speaking out for change,” and praised the students' works as “powerful, thoughtful, eye-opening.”

The Do the Write Thing program, established by the National Campaign to Stop Youth Violence in 1994, aims to involve seventh- and eighth-grade students in violence resolution through reflection and writing. Ohio joined this national effort in 2021, with Springfield City Schools leading initial participation. Other Ohio districts, including Canton, Cleveland, Lima, Youngstown, and Zanesville, followed suit in subsequent years.

In its third year, the Youngstown initiative saw over 200 essay submissions from students attending Chaney, East, and Rayen Early College middle schools. The award ceremony for the ten essay finalists was held at B&O Station Banquet Hall with attendance from parents, teachers, and community leaders.

These finalists' essays will be published in a booklet distributed throughout the state. Among them, Jaliyah Cundiff was selected to represent Youngstown at the Do the Write Thing National Recognition Week set for July in Washington, D.C., joining other student representatives from participating districts.

Although Attorney General Yost was not at the ceremony personally, his message stressed the importance of students continuing their advocacy. Youngstown City School District Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor also praised the impact of the program. “I’m proud of our YCSD scholars for using their voices through the Do the Write Thing contest,” he stated. “Their courage and honesty remind us that our young people are not just the future – they are leaders today.”