SPEAK UP Program HighlightsClick for details on each program and email speakup@paxusa.org for more information.
New York, NY Cumberland County, NC New Brunswick, NJ Minneapolis, MN Waldron, AR Knox County, TN Yonkers, NY Puerto Rico Little Elm, TX Creedmore, NC Oreville, CA
New York, NY On March 1, 2010, The New York City Council, New York City Police Department, New York City Department of Education and PAX launched SPEAK UP New York City. SPEAK UP New York is PAX's largest initiative to date. PAX is proud to bring SPEAK UP to the largest school district in the country, and through this program an enormous amount of youth will be empowered to SPEAK UP to prevent weapons in their communities.
Cumberland County, NC Speak Up Cumberland County was launched in January 2010. The two-year initiative, funded by the ESA Foundation, provides innovative means of keeping young people in Cumberland County safe from weapon-related violence in and outside of school. In addition to 1-866-SPEAK UP, students in Cumberland County can also text threats to the SPEAK UP hotline. Serving 33 schools and over 27,000 students in Fayetteville, Hope Mills, and Spring Lake, North Carolina State Superintendent Dr. June St. Clair Atkinson along with Cumberland County Sheriff Earl Butler and Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Frank Till announced the initiative at a kick-off event held on January 29, 2010. The campaign is supported by a mass awareness campaign including television and radio PSAs and outdoor advertising.
In September 2009, The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office partnered with PAX for a reinvigoration of SPEAK UP New Brunswick, NJ, which was first launched with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2006. SPEAK UP New Brunswick will serve as model for the planned expansion of the program to the rest of Middlesex County. Working closely with the New Brunswick Public Schools, the New Brunswick Police Department and New Brunswick Tomorrow, SPEAK UP reaches students and spreads awareness throughout the city through outdoor advertising and community partnerships. In addition to calling 1-866-SPEAK UP, students in New Brunswick can text threats to the hotline.
Launched in September 2009, SPEAK UP Minneapolis is a collaboration between PAX, the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support, Minneapolis Public Schools, and the Minneapolis Police Department to bring SPEAK UP to reach all Minneapolis public middle and high school students through a citywide awareness campaign including billboards, transit ads, television and radio public service announcements. SPEAK UP Minneapolis was the first program to introduce PAX's innovative text messaging platform in September 2009. In-school advertisements for SPEAK UP Minneapolis are printed in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali to reach all Minneapolis students. Due to the overwhelming success of SPEAK UP Minneapolis, PAX and the Minneapolis-based partners are exploring opportunities to expand the program to communities across the state of Minnesota.
Waldron, AR Responding to students’ safety concerns in Waldron, AR, a business teacher at Waldron High School familiarized her students with the SPEAK UP Program. With the help of one concerned teacher, students took the lead and made their case to bring SPEAK UP to their district. Waldron kids continuously spread the SPEAK UP message through class presentations, creating PSAs and presenting SPEAK UP information to other students and school administrators. In addition to calling 1-866-SPEAK UP, students in Waldron can text threats to the hotline.
Knox County, TN In September 2009, PAX partnered with the Knox County Board of Education to pilot SPEAK UP in Central High School and Northwest Middle School in Knox County. In addition to the 1-866 SPEAK UP hotline, students in Knox County can text threats to the hotline.
Yonkers, NY Yonkers is the longest running SPEAK UP program, beginning in October 2007. In coordination with the Yonkers Police Department and the City of Yonkers, Yonkers Public Schools have been active in promoting the SPEAK UP message by engaging their students in dialogue about violence prevention using SPEAK UP curriculum, posters and wallet cards.
SPEAK UP Puerto Rico is an island-wide initiative launched in August 2008 in partnership with Centennial Communications. The campaign, which has achieved a great deal of succes, has brought together a range of key community-based organizations and individuals from fields such as education, youth services, law enforcement, government and media. Campaign materials have been adapted to be culturally relevant in addressing the unique perceptions, attitudes and issues of Puerto Rico so that the SPEAK UP message best resonates with Puerto Rico’s youth. The hotline is staffed 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, with professionally-trained Spanish-speaking counselors. Media outreach includes PSAs in local television, radio, outdoor and print.
Little Elm, TX Police Chief Waylan Rhodes approached PAX to bring SPEAK UP to all public schools in the town of Little Elm, TX, at the beginning of the 2009 school year. In addition to calling 1-866-SPEAK UP, students can text threats to the hotline.
Creedmore, NC Alex T., a sixth grader from Mrs. Epps' Class at G.C. Hawley Middle School, was recognized by PAX in its Creative Design Contest: T-Shirt Design to commemorate National Safe Schools Week. Alex's design was made into a t-shirt for everyone in her class and Alex brought SPEAK UP to her school with posters for every classroom and wallet cards for every student.
Oreville, CA Amanda D., an eleventh grader from Las Plumas High School, was recognized by PAX in its Creative Design Contest: Literary Work to commemorate National Safe Schools Week. Amanda's poem, School Violence, was posted on PAX's website and Amanda brought SPEAK UP to her school with posters for every classroom and wallet cards for every student.
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