Narratives of School Shootings Impact Outcomes
Narratives of School Shootings
Students in the Narratives of School Shootings Lab partnered with co-faculty Sarah Lindstrom-Johnson from T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics and President's Professor James Blasingame from the Department of English to investigate the ways that youth interface with the gun violence narratives, from being victims of school shootings to advocacy, to school-based prevention efforts.
Humanities Week Event
Arming Students for Good: Youth Activism to Prevent Violence
As a culminating event of the course, the Humanities Lab at Arizona State University in partnership with the Narratives of School Shootings courses' student-faculty team hosted a late afternoon indoor-outdoor gathering on October 16th, 2023 aimed at elevating youth voices in collective efforts to prevent violence. Interactive activities were carefully designed to illustrate the urgent need for innovative solutions. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from public figures, scientists, and students about the impact of school shootings on communities and the nation as a whole. The event fostered a space for meaningful dialogue and reflection on the pressing issue of violence prevention.
From 3:00 to 4:00 pm, attendees enjoyed interactive activities in the outdoor atrium of the Walton Center for Planetary Health, including exploring student projects, savoring meals from the "It's Seoul Good!" food truck, and experiencing the impact of an art installation depicting gun violence statistics. Guests also engaged in a simulated "Choose Your Own Adventure" activity, learned about mental health curriculum, civic engagement, and were moved by powerful spoken word performances.
The subsequent indoor live panel discussion from 4:00 to 5:00 pm, held in WCPH 107, featured lab student Eman Massoud - a President Barack Obama Scholar at ASU, Michael Franklin - Executive Director of Secondary Academics at ASU Preparatory Academics, Tom Leveen - author of nine best-selling young adult novels published by Random House, and Quiana Lewis Wallace - Child Trends Research Scientist, all who provided insights into youth leadership and the complex issues surrounding school shootings.
Student Outcomes
Spoken Word Unit Syllabus
A team of students created a spoken word unit syllabus to encourage students to be vulnerable and express themselves through spoken word poetry to promote open communication and bonding with their peers. The syllabus aims to make the classroom a safe environment for self-expression through the gradual encouragement of students to write and share their poems with each other. This includes day-to-day schedules, lesson plans and lesson goals. Read the full curriculum here.
Lobbying 101
Youth lobbying holds crucial significance, especially in matters of school safety legislation, as the youth are directly impacted. Educating youth about lobbying can empower them to use their vote and voice. In addressing such issues, there is a belief that legislation should not be enacted without the input of those it affects—"Nothing about me, without me," a saying which students printed on t-shirts for their Humanities Week event. This team of students applied this method to create a final report on lobbying, explaining different legislative bills regarding gun violence. A lobbying group can educate young people on the legislative process, fostering a sense of civic engagement and encouraging them to participate in voting. Check out the students' complete presentation here.
Greenlights Grant Writing
Spotlighting the accomplishments of the Greenlights Grant Initiative, two students crafted an extensive report examining the demographics of students in the Chino Valley Unified District. The report delves into the impact of poverty, homelessness, and mental health issues on the future of these children. Notable mentions in the report include proposed grants such as Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) and Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education). Read the final report here.
Since this course ran, students Allison Miller, Elizabeth Brammer and Daniiel Zimmerman with the mentorship of Professor Lindstrom-Johnson, the students submitted grants requests for of $600,000 of funding that will support Glendale Elementary School district if approved. A story with details was featured in the Arizona Republic newspaper on March 18th, 2024.
Mental Health Curriculum For High School Students
In order to encourage healthy dialogue among teenagers exploring their own identities, a group of students has created a curriculum that can be incorporated into the academic schedules of all high schools in Arizona. In order to create their report, the students examined high school support systems, authors and stories that discuss mental health and high school students mental health statistics. Check out their complete presentation here.
Choose Your Own Adventure
A team of two students designed a "Choose Your Own Path" booklet featuring fictional stories, research, and vibrant visuals. The booklet immerses it's readers into the life of a fictional high school student facing various scenarios and decisions leading up to a potential school shooting. The primary objective of the project was to prompt students to report concerning information to responsible adults while encouraging teachers to cultivate inclusive classrooms, potentially integrating the Choose Your Own Path booklet into their curriculum. The project's booklet concluded with three possible outcomes: (1) prevention through the student speaking up, (2) prevention through someone else speaking up, or (3) occurrence of the school shooting. Take a look at the complete project here.
Since this course's completion members of this student team, Fiona Sauve and Hadia Aslamy, applied to and were accepted to participate in the Humanities Lab Beyond the Lab program for spring and fall of 2024. The students were additionally featured in an ASU News article for their continued work including in a subsequent course in the Humanities Lab's 3-course series on gun violence and gun culture.
Prior to this class, I was admittedly nervous to delve into a controversial topic like school shootings and engage in conversations with people whose perspectives were different from my own. Throughout this class, I realized that it is possible to have civil, respectful conversations about school shootings, and that different perspectives actually help me to expand my own. I also discovered that heavy topics can be tackled with creative, innovative solutions like storytelling, poetry, and art.
-- Fiona Sauve, Narratives of School Shootings Humanities Lab student
Media Coverage
ASU News. Series encourages open discussion about gun violence. By: Scott Bordow (October 15, 2023)
The State Press. Humanities Lab arms students with tools to prevent gun violence. By: Ginia McFarland and Sophia Herman (October 17, 2023)
AZ Central. Matthew McConaughey and ASU are helping an Arizona school district. Here's how. By: Nick Sullivan (March 15, 2024)
Collaborative Partners
- Michelle Cabinillas, Social Worker, Corona del Sol
- Michael Franklin, Executive Director of Secondary Academic ASU Preparatory
- Tom Leveen, Author
- Quiana Lewis-Wallace, Child Trends Research Scientist
- Todd Strasser, Author
- Deborah Tempkin, Chief Research Officer, Child Trends