2002 "Do The Write Thing Challenge" - Press Release

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2002 "Do The Write Thing Challenge" 
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<div align="left"><table bgcolor="#428bca" border="1" bordercolor="#357ebd" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="" width="100%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td bgcolor="#428bca" height="21" valign="middle" width="100%"><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">2002 Press Releases </span></strong></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="16%"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="left" style="margin-bottom:0;">CONTACT PERSON: VALERIE WILLARD</p><p align="left" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;">PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER</p><p align="left" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;">(504) 599 - 0319<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom:0;">&nbsp;</p><div align="left"><table style="background-color:#F7EBC6;cellpadding:0;cellspacing:0;width:100%;"><tbody style=""><tr valign="top"><td style="" width="38%"><span style="color:#212073;text-transform:uppercase;"><strong>april 25, 2002</strong></span></td><td width="62%"><p align="right" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;"><span style="color:#212073;"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="left">&nbsp;</p><p align="left">Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Judges Patricia R. Murray and Terri F. Love, Co-Chairs for the 2002 "Do The Write Thing Challenge" New Orleans Campaign to Stop Violence, hosted a recognition ceremony today at the Louisiana Supreme Court honoring 77 New Orleans Public School finalists whose award-winning essays, poems and lyrics answered the question, "What can I do to stop the violence in my life?" The students were chosen as finalists from seventh and eighth grade New Orleans public school students who responded to the 2002 "Do The Write Thing Challenge."</p><p>Since its inception eight years ago, the "Do The Write Thing Challenge" has prompted over 30,000 students from cities, such as, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., to think about their role in society and to realize that they have a responsibility and the power to change their environment.</p><p>" 'Do The Write Thing' identifies and rewards promising inner city New Orleans youth who have faced and coped with violent adversity in their lives. By taking time to consider what an individual can do, and then to put their thoughts in written words, each student acknowledges that they can make positive lifetime choices and that these choices can affect not only themselves but their neighborhoods and cities," Judge Murray said.</p><p>Judge Love added, "The National Campaign To Stop Violence is a coalition of organizations inspired by the words of these students. The coalition hopes that the words and passion of these students will motivate adults in New Orleans and around the country to respond to the young peoples' personal commitment to seek solutions to violence."</p><p>Louisiana State Representative Cedric Richmond, District 101, joined the judges in congratulating the students, giving special recognition to Sheldon Bridges from P.A. Capdeau Junior High School and Keith Nailor from Martin Luther King, Jr. School for Science and Technology, who were selected as the 2001 National finalists; and to Derrell Randolph from Livingston Middle School and Ashley Harrison from Francis W. Gregory Junior High School, who were selected as 2002 National Finalists.</p><p>Organizations participating in the National Campaign to Stop Violence include the Council of Great City Schools, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Young Astronaut Council, the National Guard Bureau and the Greater Washington Urban League.</p><p>Funding for the "Do The Write Thing Challenge" has been provided by the Kuwait-America Foundation, in appreciation for the United States' leadership in the Gulf War, and the United States Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.</p><p>For more information about the 2002 "Do The Write Thing Challenge" New Orleans Campaign to Stop Violence&nbsp;<a name="BM_1_"></a>Judge Patricia R. Murray at (504) 592-0945 or Judge Terri F. Love at (504) 592-0921.</p><p align="center">- 30 -</p><p>&nbsp;</p>
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