Dr. Pamela L. Riley, executive director of the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), has announced that the organization will host the 13th annual SAVE Summit on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at West Charlotte High School, located at 2219 Senior Drive in Charlotte, N.C. SAVE chapter members will travel from across the country to lead workshop sessions, display accomplishments and have the opportunity to network with students from across the country in an effort to increase awareness of the importance of violence prevention. The event will feature speakers such as Drummin' Up the Peace, a Kaiser-Permanente Educational Theater Program that uses the power of drama, comedy, audience interaction, music and drumming to help students of all ages increase the peace, and Daryl Davis, an actor, author and lecturer that specializes in speaking to young people and empowering them to achieve their goals, confront their prejudices and improve relationships with adversaries.

This event marks the 20th anniversary of SAVE which was formed at West Charlotte High School in 1989 after a young man named Alex Orange lost his life while trying to break up a fight at a party. The following Monday, his grieving classmates gathered in West Charlotte Senior High School's cafeteria and vowed to organize against violence in Orange's memory. The group formed Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), with the vision that all students will be able to attend a school that is safe, secure, free of fear and conducive to learning. In just 20 years, SAVE has expanded from that first chapter in Charlotte to more than 200,000 members in more than 1,800 SAVE chapters across the United States. Today, SAVE serves youth in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges and communities in 47 states and several foreign countries. This event kicks off nationwide activities for America’s Safe Schools Week (October 19-23, 2009).

“We are very proud to host this year’s Summit at the birthplace of SAVE, West Charlotte High School,” said Riley. “We have accomplished so much over the last 20 years and it is truly special to come back to where it all began to celebrate our accomplishments as a deeply respected, student-initiated, student-run violence prevention organization.”

The Summit is sponsored in part by the Allstate Foundation. With support from Allstate agents and employee volunteers, SAVE chapters in the Charlotte and other urban areas of North Carolina area will be able to provide leadership school-wide to ensure that all students will be encouraged and empowered with healthy life skills while being engaged in educational activities and opportunities to promote teen safe driving and youth safety. SAVE believes that every student should be able to attend a school that is safe and secure, free of fear and conducive to learning. If you are interested volunteering, starting or supporting a SAVE chapter in your school or community or in obtaining additional safety tips for parents and students, visit the SAVE website at www.nationalsave.org or call toll free at 1-866-343-SAVE.

National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere SAVE: Youth Voices... Grown-Up Choices! Toll Free 866-343-SAVE For more information contact cwray@nationalsave.org   /   Copyright 2012