Seeing Violence, Seeking Peace

This project to highlight our students desire for peace in Chicago was collaborative. Other classrooms, students and teachers around the city also worked to spread the word that our kids want to have a safe community. Here is some work from the wonderful students at Seward. They have had personal contact with violence and want their Back of Yards community to be a safe one as well. Please see their work here: Seeing Violence, Seeking Peace.

The S.O.S Music Video

Our students at NTA worked hard to send out an S.O.S. For them it meant finding Students offering Solutions to the violence we see in our community. We applied our ideas to school violence, neighborhood violence and city violence. The students then wrote their solution out to show how their ideas could be used to solve the violence problem. Do you have a solution to the violence in your community too? Send us a message using the link in the blog below. Take a picture with your message and we will add you to our video stream.

SOS Chicago from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

Public Service Announcements SOS Chicago

Students created PSA commercials to support our work with Students Offering Solutions to violence in our community. Students developed the ideas as a group and then created a script and video.

Join A Positive Group from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

Introducing Education ROCKS!! from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

Say Something from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

Be Yourself from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

See Something Say Something from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

One City One Neighborhood from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

Messages Chicago from Autumn Laidler on Vimeo.

S.O.S. Chicago Posters

Our fourth graders have finished up their research of non-violent leaders and learned some cool design strategies from an expert! They learned that image, emotion, and narrow message are key to a good advertisement. Here is some of the products made with Phoster thanks to Mr. Kovac's recommendation! They made sure their message was positive and you can see the influence from Dr. King, Gandhi and Chavez.

Thoughts about bullying

First graders add their thoughts about bullying to the SOS conversation.  What does bullying look like?  How can we stop it?  How can kids resolve conflict peacefully?  Read our Flipsnack to hear our ideas!

Historic Solutions to Injustice

Made for our #BurNTA collaboration of Students Offering Solutions (#SOSChicago) project. 6th graders utilized their learning from our Civil Rights Unit to make videos about historic solutions to injustice. Concept, filming, and editing done by sixth graders at Burley School.

The World is Watching Chicago!

We know that violence in our city is a problem.  We know that many students feel unsafe on their way to school, in their neighborhood and at home.  We understand that some kids are bullied or excluded which leads them to make unsafe choices with their peers.  We believe that students, teachers, families and the larger community can come together to provide solutions that make everyday experiences like sitting on your porch, walking to school and playing at the park more safe for children.

We also believe that this is not just a Chicago problem.  As the third largest school district in the country, we know that our policy decisions have influence and are observed by many around the globe.  As we move forward, we recognize that the world is watching Chicago.  Our choices today will impact kids and students for years to come. We hope that our leaders can make decisions in the best interest of the kids in our city and provide an environment that is safe for all.

We created this photo montage of people holding up  "SOS" signs around the globe.  We're sending our "Students Offering Solutions" message to the world and know that the world is ready to hear our ideas. 
Song: "Message in a Bottle" by The Police is available on iTunes.