Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has partnered with several Metro East organizations and law enforcement in launching a “40 Days of Nonviolence and Beyond” in the East St. Louis area, which continues through March 4, 2025.
The initiative will include activities for students, ages 8-18, with SIUE Project Success, SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School, Lincoln Middle School, Black Greek letter organizations youth groups and more, according to Kimberly McClellan, an SIUE Head Start teacher and SIUE alumna, and member of the initiative’s executive committee.
“Either your tax dollars are going to go to pro investment for our youth, or we’re going to pay on the back end with issues surrounding violence or putting kids in detention centers, which is more expensive,” said Illinois state Sen. Christopher Belt, who also serves on the committee.
Daphne Dorsey, a member of the 40 Days board, said homicide is the third leading cause of death for all young people between the ages of 10-24.
“When that number is broken down by race, it’s the number one cause of death for African American youth,” she said.
Included will be an Information Week, Health Week, Military and First Responder Week, Education Week, Community Engagement Week and Unification Week. The programming will be held on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus and Lincoln Middle School.
Activities will include chess lessons every Tuesday and Thursday at Wyvetter H. Younge and tennis lessons every Saturday at Lincoln Middle School by the East St. Louis Community Tennis Association.