Local Students Look to S.T.O.P. Risky Teen Behavior

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For Immediate Release

Local Students Look to S.T.O.P. Risky Teen Behavior

Pittsburgh, Pa. - November 7, 2006 -

WHO: More than 1,300 students from Pittsburgh area schools will participate in the 6th annual Students Together Organizing Prevention (S.T.O.P.) Convention.

WHAT: On Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006, students from 35 urban, suburban and rural school districts will take part in the S.T.O.P. Convention. The program is aimed at preventing school violence, alcohol and drug use, verbal and physical abuse, bullying, sexual harassment and rape among teens. Teens at the convention will watch skits performed by peers on those topics then take those messages back to their classmates.

WHY: S.T.O.P. was founded by state Sen. Jane Clare Orie, Richard Garland, director of Violence Prevention in Allegheny County, and Dr. Donald Lee, superintendent for the Shaler Area school district. It is supported by more than 30 partners, including Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Since its inception, S.T.O.P. has proved to be overwhelmingly successful because of peer-to-peer messaging, which has proven effective in relaying a theme of violence prevention and interaction between urban, suburban, and rural schools.

The power of the convention comes from the students who participate and send the messages to their fellow peers through skits, and then facilitate a discussion with everyone in attendance. Students take the messages conveyed and ideas discussed at the convention back to their school and pass along the education to their fellow classmates.

WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006

WHERE: Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum

Editor's Note: For more information, visit the S.T.O.P. Web site at www.stopprogram.org.

Contacts:
Marc Lukasiak, 412-692-7919 or 412-692-5016, Marc.Lukasiak@chp.edu
Melanie Finnigan, 412-692-5502 or 412-692-5016, Melanie.Finnigan@chp.edu

Last Update
June 11, 2008

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