School

Program Aims To Teach Kids About Stopping Violence

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― A federal program designed to teach children about violence is coming to Pittsburgh.

Officials with Pittsburgh Public Schools and law enforcement are working together on a program to make sure area children get the information they need about stopping violence early on in their education.

At a news conference today, officials released statistics that say at risk kids who don't experience quality Pre-K programs are 70 percent more likely to commit a violent crime. But those who do experience such programs have wonderful successes.

"Fight Crime, Invest in Kids," is a bipartisan nonprofit organization that promotes greater public investment in our pre-kindergarten programs. The group, local law enforcement and the Pittsburgh Public School's Superintendent announced that the city is embracing this investment.

"We do make arrests and take violent people off the streets, but it just continues to grow," said Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen. "I agree with a program that you have to start the children at an early age."

By investing in early education programs and increasing graduation rates, Fight Crime stats show 150 fewer murders and 5,900 fewer assaults would occur in Pennsylvania.

Also, 68 percent of Pennsylvania state inmates never graduated high school.

Historically, Westinghouse High School had drop-out rates in a neighborhood known for violent crimes. But Superintendent Mark Roosevelt says the school is now exemplarily, with 100 percent of its seniors graduating last year.

"We're increasing the proficiency rates sometimes by 100 to 200 percent in the last three years and decreasing the drop-out rate, increasing the number of seniors graduating," said Roosevelt.

Roosevelt says the district has put a huge push on pre-kindergarten programs and adds that so far they are operating above the national standards.

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