RCSD holds ‘Each one, Reach one Campaign’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) – After an increase in violence in Rochester City Schools over the past few years, Wednesday the Rochester City School District hosted its "Each one, Reach one Campaign" with local leaders and students to address ways violence can be prevented.

The students that joined the panel we’re very passionate and most say they do want to continue to have these conversations to find some type of common ground to make sure they feel protected in the classroom and outside in the community.

“School is a place that you want to go and you want to feel safe, one student said. “Not like you got to protect yourself or you know, you always got to watch your back.”

Rochester City School students joined the panel, sharing their own stories on how violence in schools and the community affects them.

“I just feel like schools need to work on more of the safety, like getting more security or maybe more staff that actually care about the students and not just about themselves and their job,” Brielle said.

Brielle is a junior in the district and said not only does the violence create trauma, but it also has an impact in the classroom.

“Violence has affected me as a junior, because it’s like everywhere I go, it’s a fight,” Brielle said. “How can I focus? How can I do my work? How can I get a relationship with my teacher without worrying about who’s going to fight next? Do I need to move or what’s going to happen next?"

They want their voices heard and solutions when it comes to interacting with police and school leaders.

Both students and local leaders are asking for more hope and trust in the community so everyone can work together to reduce violence in and around schools.

Thursday night at 5:00 p.m. the school board will have a meeting to discuss safety in schools.

On June 16 at 6:00 p.m., there will be another community meeting on school safety at Newborn Fellowship Church.