Abigail Peake
Research Mentor: Justin Heinze
Mentor Department: Health Behavior and Health Education, Public Health
Author(s): Justin Heinze, Abigail Peake
Session: Session 5 (2:00 PM – 2:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 48
Abstract
School-based interventions are an important approach to preventing violence among children and young people, especially as firearm injuries are the leading cause of death among youth in the United States. Sandy Hook Promise Foundation’s (SHP) Know the Signs initiative consists of the Say Something and Start with Hello programs, which aim to help students recognize the warning signs of violence and promote a positive, safe school climate. SHP has engaged the University of Michigan to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of these programs in the Bronx School District 9. Data collected through student and teacher surveys, staff interviews, student focus groups, School Implementation Team (SIT) interviews and surveys, and observations provide perspective into program implementation and the perceptions and attitudes of participating schools. Preliminary findings indicate a mix of perceptions, with many of them positive in regards to student ability in recognizing and reporting warning signs and on the developmental appropriateness of the programs. In addition to evaluating program implementation, this project emphasizes effective communication of evaluation findings to participating schools. This facilitates relationship building with participating schools, supported by the development of materials that clearly present evaluation findings. By creating individualized school reports for schools, the evaluation team aims to support meaningful engagement with participating schools, fostering a respectful and intentional relationship.
