Alcorn’s Freedom School participants write to Congressman Bennie Thompson
Alcorn’s Freedom School participants write to Congressman Bennie Thompson
Congressman Bennie Thompson will receive about 60 letters from the Alcorn Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom School participants that they wrote on July 10 as a part of CDF National Day of Social Action. This year, the Day’s focus was on the “Protect Children, Not Guns” campaign to promote common sense gun safety measures that will save children’s lives.
“As a result of gun violence, one child or teen dies or is injured every 30 minutes,” stated Kelly Thomas ’06, Freedom School project director. “We discussed this problem with our program participants, even the youngest group got involved in this project. In their letters the kids explained to leaders why they are concerned with safety and why elected officials should ‘Protect Children, Not Guns’. This project teaches the children to be socially and politically active about society’s problems.”
“Our future is important to us,” said Desmond Howard, 13, from Utica, Mississippi. “In my letter I wrote that I don’t want my future to be in danger because of guns and asked Congressman Thompson to do whatever he can to protect us.”
Freedom School is a free six-week program that Alcorn State University is offering in partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund. For the second year in a row, this free program is helping children from Southwestern Mississippi ages 6-18 works to improve their reading skills, generate more positive learning attitudes and boost their self esteem.
To read more about the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School, click here.
Level 3 group participants writing letters under supervision of student servant leader.
The youngest Level 1 group gets busy writing to Congressman Thompson.
