Here’s How You Can Support Our 15th Annual Choose Peace Week
by Donald Rufus-Raphael, Program Coordinator for Choose Peace/Stop Violence at United Way of Broward County
Choose Peace/Stop Violence Week is an annual observance in Broward County, aimed at promoting anti-bullying efforts in schools as well as preventing youth crime and violence. It is a powerful reminder for educating and engaging young people to take action and create safe, healthy, and thriving environments in their schools and the entire community.
Starting on September 20, Choose Peace Week is comprised of daily activities and events empowering elementary-school, middle-school, and high-school students to be advocates for peace and safety as well as promote individual and collective responsibility.
The theme for this year is Cultivating a Culture of Peace, and various activities across Broward include the Choose Peace Poster Contest, Chalk4Peace, and the Wish Tree Project4. On September 20, everyone is encouraged to wear white to symbolize peace, unity, hope, and love.
Choose Peace Week is part of United Way of Broward County’s Choose Peace/Stop Violence, a student-focused initiative galvanizing our community, and its impact includes:
- preventing bullying behaviors and youth violence
- fostering social justice awareness
- creating safe and violence-free environments
- improving school climates and academic performances
Since its inception in 2009, Choose Peace/Stop Violence has expanded into a collaborative partnership with Broward County Public Schools and the Children’s Services Council of Broward County — and united, we have transformed school cultures and created healthier communities so students can thrive.
One unique way United Way of Broward County promotes Choose Peace Week is by engaging students with a friendly, creative contest where they make posters illustrating ideals of peace and the annual theme. Categories for the poster contest includes elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
This year, more than 400 students in Boward County’s public schools participated in Choose Peace Week’s poster contest, and here is the very impressive artwork by each of winners:
All of the submissions by Broward’s students were fabulous, and we thank each student/artist for celebrating, promoting, and expanding positive norms in our schools and our entire community.
To view all of the impactful ways our United Way recommends for celebrating Choose Peace Week, download this Peace Week Activity Guide.
Click here to learn more about our powerful initiative Choose Peace/Stop Violence — and post your support on your social channels with the hashtags #choozpeace, #browardprevention, #leadingthechange, #LIVEUNITEDBroward, and #browardschools.
Also, to get ready for Choose Peace Week, our United Way’s NextGen United is making Choose Peace Week the central focus of its Fall Social at Papageno’s on 1201 North Federal Hwy. in Fort Lauderdale. NextGen United is a network of emerging leaders in Broward County, and its Fall Social is a fun networking event supporting Peace Week awareness in Broward County.
For this event, Papageno’s is donating a portion of proceeds from its in-store purchases to our United Way. Join us in celebrating Choose Peace Week by registering for the NextGen United Fall Social!
For questions on how you can become a supporter and advocate for Choose Peace/Stop Violence, email Donald Rufus-Raphael, program coordinator for Choose Peace/Stop Violence at United Way of Broward County, at [email protected].
