Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

1/10/07

NEWS RELEASE
Auburn to Host a Community Forum on
Gang Awareness and Graffiti Prevention

On Thursday, January 25, in an effort to engage parents, teens and community members in a discussion about gangs and graffiti, the City of Auburn, Auburn Police Department, Auburn School District and other local youth and faith organizations have teamed up to host “SPEAK UP and HELP OUT: A Community Forum on Gang Awareness and Graffiti Prevention.” This free forum is scheduled from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Messiah Lutheran Church Community Room, located at 805 Fourth Street NE. A free dinner will be provided courtesy of the Auburn Youth Council from 5:30-6 p.m.

Keynote speaker Lawrence Stone, from Tacoma’s Big Homie program, will address the issue of gang presence in and around South King and North Pierce Counties. Stone is a former gang member and drug dealer who uses his street knowledge to teach both adult and teen audiences about how to unravel the appeal of youth gangs.  Recognizing that gang association represents a complex set of problems, Stone and the Big Homie program promote cooperation between local government, schools, police and youth to seek long-term solutions.

“Auburn has a history of successfully handling the needs of children and youth in the community. The well-established and supportive partnerships between the School District, the City and various community organizations make it possible to proactively address these needs, creating a safer environment for young people and providing quality resources,” states Linda Cowan, Superintendent of Auburn Schools.

During separate, small breakout sessions for youth and adults, staff from the City, School District and other community-based programs will be on hand to answer questions, provide information about gangs and graffiti prevention, and listen to concerns from those in attendance. Public service directories, a sheet of teen activities and other materials will be provided in various languages. The Auburn School District will be providing Russian and Spanish translators.

For more details about the forum, please call Amy Spence, Auburn School District public information officer, at (253) 931-4713.