Programs & Impact

Community Violence Prevention Series

A presenter-led curriculum designed to help high school students understand community violence, explore healthy alternatives, and step into their own power as leaders — one session at a time.

5
Sessions
30–45 min each

About the Series

Education as an Alternative to Violence

The AND Foundation Community Violence Prevention Series is a structured curriculum delivered directly to high school students by AND Foundation staff. The series opens with a wide-lens foundation session that establishes shared understanding of community violence and its impact, then moves through four builder sessions — each focused on a specific skill, mindset, or community practice.

By the final session, students have traveled a full arc: from awareness of the problem to personal ownership of their role in the solution. The curriculum is designed to be honest, youth-centered, and empowering — never preachy.

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Delivered in schools & organizations
AND Foundation staff facilitate each session on-site at your school or organization — no prep required from teachers.
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Presenter-led with student discussion
Each 30–45 minute session combines structured presentation with guided discussion moments designed to draw out student voices.
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A full loop curriculum
The series begins and ends with the same foundational principles — reinforcing the message that protecting communities is an ongoing, shared responsibility.
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Free to schools & organizations
There is no cost to bring this series to your students. Request it through our contact page.

The Curriculum

5-Session Overview

Each session is designed to stand alone and build upon the one before it — creating a complete arc from community awareness to personal leadership.

Session
1
Foundation Overview

Protecting Our Communities Starts With Us

The opening session establishes shared context — what community violence looks like, how it affects young people's daily lives and futures, and what it means for each student to be part of the solution. Sets the foundation for everything that follows.

Reality & Impact Community Voices Protection & Safety Youth Leadership Education as Prevention
Session
2
Builder Session

Know Your Impact

Students examine how their choices, words, and actions ripple outward into their communities — and how understanding that impact is the first step toward becoming a force for positive change.

Personal responsibility Community awareness Cause & effect
Session
3
Builder Session

Find Your Outlet

Students explore healthy ways to channel emotions — from frustration to grief to ambition — into creative, productive, and community-building action. Covers sports, writing, music, mentorship, coding, and community service.

Emotional health Creative expression Healthy alternatives Resilience
Session
4
Builder Session

Build Your Circle

Students learn how the people they surround themselves with shape who they become — and develop practical skills for positive peer influence, de-escalation, speaking up, and checking in on the people they care about.

Peer influence De-escalation Speaking up Community
Session
5
Builder Session

Own Your Future

The closing session brings the curriculum full circle — returning to the foundational message with new eyes. Students leave with a personal commitment to growth, leadership, and community protection rooted in everything they have built across the series.

Personal growth Youth leadership Choosing your path Community commitment

Curriculum Architecture

How the Sessions Build

Session 1 establishes the shared foundation. Each builder session develops a specific skill or perspective — progressively moving students from community awareness toward personal ownership and leadership.

CVP Series Curriculum Pyramid Session 1 Foundation Overview is the widest bar at the bottom in orange. Sessions 2 through 5 stack progressively narrower above in teal, ending with Session 5 Own Your Future at the top. A vertical axis on the left reads Foundation at the bottom and Personal ownership at the top. Personal ownership Foundation Session 5 Own your future Session 4 Build your circle Session 3 Find your outlet Session 2 Know your impact Session 1 — Foundation Overview Protecting our communities starts with us

What the Series Addresses

Four Thematic Pillars

01

Reality & Awareness

Students face honest conversations about what community violence looks like, how it touches their lives, and why silence lets problems grow. Awareness is the first step.

02

Protection & Safety

Emotional protection, social awareness, and decision-making are explored as forms of self-defense — building inner peace and outer strength simultaneously.

03

Empowerment & Outlets

Students identify healthy outlets for their emotions and energy — from sports and the arts to mentorship and community service — as real, accessible alternatives to violence.

04

Community & Leadership

Youth are not just recipients of safety — they are its architects. Students leave equipped to lead, influence peers positively, and contribute to communities where everyone thrives.

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For Schools & Organizations

Bring the Community Violence Prevention Series to your students. AND Foundation staff handle all facilitation — no teacher preparation or curriculum materials required on your end.

  • Free to all participating schools and organizations
  • Delivered on-site by AND Foundation staff
  • Designed for high school students grades 9–12
  • Flexible scheduling across 5 sessions
  • Aligned with Chicago Public Schools communities
Request the Series
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For Students

The Community Violence Prevention Series is built for you. These sessions are a space to be heard, to think honestly about your community, and to discover the tools you already have to create change.

  • Honest conversations about real community challenges
  • Guided exploration of healthy emotional outlets
  • Skills for de-escalation and peer influence
  • Space to reflect and be heard — not lectured
  • A clear message: your voice and your choices matter
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