About 100 concerned residents came together Thursday evening to take part in a special session hosted by the Gov. Mifflin Community Partnership following the recent shooting death of a high school student.
Rather than putting the focus on the tragedy, leaders of the program asked participants to do something a bit different — look forward, think positive and find solutions. Dr. Lisa Hess, an assistant superintendent at the school district who heads the Gov. Mifflin Community Partnership, said she recognizes this approach may not have been what people expected.
“We understand that the first reaction of many people is to key in on discipline issues and problems,” she said. “People find what they are looking for, so we chose to focus on the positive aspects of our schools and community, rather than the negative. Focusing on the negative does not forge a path to viable solutions.”
Hess said the key to reducing and preventing such incidents is to get to the root of why they occur, build on the strengths that exist in the community and identify actionable items that members of the community can collectively agree upon.
Amiere Bibbs, 18, was shot and killed at Brookline Park in Reading on March 14. City police said the shooting happened after 15 to 30 young people, generally between the ages of 16 and 18, from neighboring municipalities gathered at the playground to fight.
Two other victims, one male and one female, were taken by ambulance to Reading Hospital. A fourth shooting victim, who has not been identified, arrived at the hospital by private vehicle.
Bibbs and one of the people injured were students at Gov. Mifflin High School.
An investigation continues.
After a moment of silence to honor those impacted by the tragedy, those who attended the special session hosted by the partnership were asked to separate into small groups to document the strengths of the district and surrounding community. From these lists, Hess said participants worked to identify tangible ways the community can better support local youth, strengthen community bonds and create an overall safer environment.
“In order for kids to achieve, they must first feel like they belong,” Hess told the crowd Thursday. “We are coming together tonight so that we can find ways to fill those gaps in belonging to help our students feel connected to our district and community in ways that supports their overall success and achievement.”
To conclude the session, each group shared the actionable items they had developed during the hour. Suggestions included making greater use of communal spaces in Shillington and Mohnton, organizing events to bring families of different backgrounds and cultures together and creating a community ambassador program to make new families feel welcome.
“Our deep, multigenerational roots are a huge strength for us, but for new families to our district it can appear like a wall to achievement,” said Matt Davis, a high school teacher. “We need to show new students that there are ways to add value to the community and that don’t have to include being the star of the football team or top of their class.”
Hess said the community partnership is comprised of teachers, administrators, district parents and community members and has been meeting monthly since September. She said the partnership was created to focus on ways to honor the dignity of all students, create a sense of belonging throughout the district and address societal issues related to equity and inclusion.
Source: Berkshire mont
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